Tamara Trafton

After studying economics at the University of Colorado (Colorado Springs), Tamara went on to earn her MA and PhD in Economics from Vanderbilt University. Intrigued by human behavior and concerned about global poverty levels, Tamara was captivated by Economics, the study of choice, and the idea that if one can account for predictable elements of behavior, perhaps one can design policies that reduce poverty and improve human well-being. Inspired by the impact that her professors had upon their students, teaching them that the bottom line in Economics is not profit but people, Tamara sought to follow in their footsteps. She loves to teach and to bring experimental methods into the classroom to help her students to "see" economic concepts in action. She is known as the crazy prof who auctions off classroom seats, talks with her hands, and smiles a lot.

Tamara's research focuses primarily on charitable giving behavior under changing nonprofit strategies, but she has many interests in the areas of Behavioral, Experimental, and Development Economics. Beyond academic pursuits, Tamara enjoys journaling, long walks, country drives, and line dancing.