Dr. Eric Chiang

Dr. Eric Chiang is a Professor-in-Residence of economics in the Lee Business School at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to joining UNLV, he was a tenured associate professor and the Director of Instructional Technology at Florida Atlantic University, teaching over 20,000 students from Introductory to Ph.D.-level courses. In 2009, Eric won FAU’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year, the university’s top teaching award. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Florida in 2002. Eric has published 42 journal articles in major journals including the Review of Economics and Statistics and the Journal of Technology Transfer. He is the author of Economics: Principles for a Changing World, a textbook currently in use at 85 universities. Eric also serves on the advisory board for Global Traveler magazine and has visited over 100 countries. In 2019 he competed in the first season of ABC’s sports game show Holey Moley with NBA star Stephen Curry. In 2023, Eric was a guest host on the Planet Money podcast All You Can Eat Economics.

If you recall, what influenced your decision to become a member of the International Atlantic Economic Society?

I attended my first IAES annual conference in Montreal in 2012, and subsequently published two papers in the International Advances in Economic Research (in 2015 and 2023). Maintaining membership in the IAES has been helpful to my career.

What types of projects/research are you currently working on and what inspired/motivated you to pursue these interests?

My primary field of study is economic education, and my current research focuses on the obstacles faced by first-generation students in higher education. At both my current and former universities, first-generation students make up a large proportion of the undergraduate population, and learning about their experiences has helped shape my research and efforts to improve academic outcomes for all students.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering entering your line of work/field of study?

To pursue a career in economic education, one should be eager to teach a variety of courses and in multiple modalities to better understand how students learn and succeed. It is also important to stay up-to-date with new pedagogical tools and technology, and always be willing to try something new in the classroom to increase student engagement.

Going forward, what other projects/research are you planning or hoping to pursue?

My next projects will continue to focus on the academic outcomes of first-generation students but will expand the study to include two-year degree-granting institutions, which generally have larger populations of first-generation students than four-year degree-granting institutions.

What’s your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobby is mini-golf! I have been a member of the U.S. Professional Mini Golf Association (USPMGA) for over 20 years, competing in regional and national tournaments. In 2019, I was a contestant on the first season of ABC’s prime-time series Holey Moley, an extreme mini-golf competition featuring Stephen Curry, the NBA star who served the role of executive producer. I have also visited over 100 countries and all 7 continents. Exploring unique cultures and food is something I truly enjoy.