Lauren Russell holds a PhD in economics from MIT and a bachelor's degree in economics, mathematics, and mathematical methods in the social sciences from Northwestern University. As a postdoctoral fellow at the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and the Social Sciences at Dartmouth College from 2017-2019, she managed the Policy Research Shop which produced research for the state legislators in Vermont and New Hampshire and local policymakers. Professor Russell has taught at the Fels Institute of Government since 2019 and has served as a faculty co-director since 2023.
Her research uses quasi-experimental methods to study issues of higher education finance, college pricing, and policies to address educational inequities. She has conducted program and policy evaluations for university systems in Tennessee and Georgia and collaborated with higher education nonprofits. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journal articles, covered by national and state media, and quoted in Congressional testimony. In 2023, she was awarded the Ray Vernon Memorial Award from the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management.
Dr. Russell brings a strong interest in the psychology of learning and effective pedagogy to the economics and data analysis courses she teaches. She was awarded the Fels Institute of Government Teaching Award in 2020 and 2022 and the College of Liberal and Professional Studies Award for Distinguished Teaching in Professional Graduate Programs in 2022. Professor Russell is committed to experiential learning opportunities and regularly incorporates mentored client projects into her courses. From 2019-2024, she expanded the Fels Lab initiative which provides biannual opportunities for nonprofit organizations, government departments, and public sector leaders to submit capstone project proposals to be completed by Master of Public Administration students.
More information about Dr. Russell's teaching and research can be found on her webpage.
