Emily Oster
Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence and Professor of Economics
Emily Oster is a professor of economics. Prior to coming to Brown she was an associate professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is affiliated with the National Bureau of Economic Research. She earned her BA and her PhD from Harvard, in 2002 and 2006, respectively.
Emily Oster’s research focuses on health and development economics. Her past work has covered issues of HIV and gender equality in health and survival. Her current work focuses on how individuals seek out, and react to, health information. She has several recent papers on Huntington Disease, a degenerative neurological disorder. In this context she explores health information-seeking and asks why individuals in the at-risk population seem resistant to informative genetic information about this disease. She uses a similar population to test whether knowledge of limited life expectancy affects incentives to invest in education and job training.
Oster’s current work covers infant mortality – exploring why the US has very high infant mortality rates relative to other developed countries – and diet behavior among diabetics.
"Weighting for External Validity" (with Isaiah Andrews). The National Bureau of Economic Research. (September 2017). doi: 10.3386/w23826
“Approaches and Costs for Sharing Clinical Research Data” (with Erin Wilhelm and Ira Shoulson). JAMA (Viewpoint, Feb 20, 2014).
“Limited Life Expectancy, Human Capital and Health Investments” (with E. Ray Dorsey and Ira Shoulson). American Economic Review, 103 (5): p. 1977-2002 (August 2013).
“Optimal Expectations and Limited Medical Testing: Evidence from Huntington's Disease” (with E. Ray Dorsey and Ira Shoulson). American Economic Review, 103 (2): p. 804-830 (April 2013).
“Do IT Service Centers Promote School Enrollment? Evidence from India” (with Bryce Millett). Journal of Development Economics, 104: 123-135 (September 2013).
“Knowledge of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act among individuals affected by Huntington disease” (with E. Ray Dorsey et al.). Clinical Genetics, 84: p. 251-257 (September 2013).
“Determinants of Technology Adoption: Private Value and Peer Effects in Menstrual Cup Take-Up” (with Rebecca Thornton). Journal of the European Economic Association, 10(6): p.1263-1293 (December, 2012).
“Routes of Infection: Exports and HIV Incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of the European Economic Association, 10(5): p. 1025–1058 (October 2012).
MPA 2460 Economics for Public Policy
Econ 018D
Econ 2360
July 30, 2021 Washington Post
This book review covers “The Family Firm: A Data-Driven Guide to Better Decision Making in the Early School Years" by Emily Oster.
July 26, 2021 VOX
This feature delves into Emily Oster's emergence as an integral voice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 19, 2021 Read Brightly
This article features an interview with Emily Oster on her upcoming book, Family Firm.
July 16, 2021 Daily Kos
This column references the research and COVID-19 tracking efforts of Emily Oster.
July 14, 2021 Reason
Emily Oster is cited in this article regarding advice about unvaccinated children.
July 12, 2021 New York Times
Emily Oster offered commentary on the CDC's new guidelines calling for schools to fully reopen, while acknowledging that more challenges lay ahead with children under 12 not eligible for vaccination.
July 12, 2021 Washington News Post
This article mentions Emily Oster, "...The Brown University economist and author of parenting books said that she was generally pleased with the C.D.C.’s framework, which she said gave districts a road map to reopen without being too prescriptive."
1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Watch on Watson's YouTube channel.
12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Watch the conversation on Watson's YouTube channel.