
Tamara Trafton
BA, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
MA, Vanderbilt University
PhD, Vanderbilt University
Intrigued by human behaviour and concerned about poverty and inequality, Tamara is captivated by Economics—the study of choice—and the idea that if one can account for predictable elements of behaviour, perhaps one can design policies that improve human well-being.
Tamara believes that the bottom line in Economics is not profit, but people. She loves to teach and bring experimental methods into the classroom to help her students “see” economic concepts in action. She uses a creative and unconventional approach, and has been known to auction off classroom seats.
Her early research focused on charitable giving behaviour under different non-profit strategies, but she has many interests in the fields of Economic Education, Economic History, and Behavioural, Experimental, and Development Economics. She is currently absorbed in the literature on gender pay equity.
Beyond academic pursuits, Tamara enjoys long walks, country drives, ballroom dancing—and binge-watching Call the Midwife with a cat on her lap.