Department of Economics

Mark Thoma

  • Graduated: 1980
  • Field: University Professor

Mark Thoma graduated with his BA from Chico State in 1980 and finished his Ph.D. in economics from Washington State(opens in new window) in 1985.  After finishing his doctorate, the Department of Economics of the University of California, San Diego hired him as a Visiting Professor from 1986–87.  In 1987 he became a member the Department of Economics of the University of Oregon(opens in new window).  Mark(opens in new window) was head of the department from 1995 to 2000 and he became a full professor in 2010.
 
“Thoma is best known as a regular columnist for The Fiscal Times through his blog "Economist's View", which Paul Krugman called "the best place by far to keep up with the latest in economic discourse",[1] and as an analyst at CBS MoneyWatch. He is also a regular contributor to EconoMonitor(opens in new window).”  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Thoma(opens in new window)
 
“CSU Chico, or Chico State” as it was known when I was there in the late 1970s, gave me all the tools I needed to be successful in graduate school and beyond,” Mark stated in a recent e-mail. “I am particularly grateful for the advice that several faculty members gave me about the classes I should take to get ready for graduate school, e.g. guidance on which math and statistics courses would be the most valuable. In one case, we even walked over to the math department to talk to faculty about which options would be best. Because of the great teaching and personal attention I was given, when I got to graduate school I was better prepared than.”

Portrait of Mark Thoma