Robert French joins the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts as an assistant professor in the Economics Department. Professor French was drawn to LMU for its commitment to holistic education.
“Most of our impact on the world comes from our interactions and conduct with others. I wanted a community that pairs academic excellence with student development and prioritizes proper personal conduct,” said French. “The Southern California sunshine and food didn’t hurt either.”
Originally from Brighton, a city on the southeast coast of the United Kingdom, French mostly grew up and went to college in Toronto, Canada. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of Toronto and later attended Harvard University, where he earned his Ph.D. in public policy.
French’s research is in urban economics and focuses primarily on housing affordability and the impacts of gentrification. In his current, ongoing projects, he uses data from the US Census Bureau to compare the experiences of low-income households living in gentrifying areas to households living in otherwise similar areas not gentrifying. He explains his research as being “driven by a commitment to equitable access to safe and affordable housing,” with the housing affordability crisis poised to “shape much of the decade ahead.”
French’s teaching philosophy reflects his commitment to helping students discover and develop their full capabilities. French requires students in his courses to push themselves academically, while recognizing that each student has a different learning style and speed. He believes students often underestimate themselves academically, and he explains how he hopes “students leave [his] classes more ambitious and eager for the next challenge.”
This semester, Professor French is teaching “Econometrics,” and will be teaching “Computational Economics” in the spring. Through his courses, he aims to help students gain confidence as they master the often complex ideas at the intersection of economics and statistics.
Outside of his teaching and research, French loves exploring West LA on his bike and has recently begun playing golf. He has also enjoyed daily meditation practice for the last several years.