Image: Nathan Moore (PhD 2020) and Rachel Burns (PhD 2018) explore the extent, drivers, and means by which economic development has become a focus of public postsecondary institutions. Using event history analysis and neo-institutional and strategic action fields theoretical frameworks, they track the adoption of vice president-level positions devoted to economic development among the members of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). Their results confirm that APLU institutions increasingly prioritized economic development between 2000 and 2016. A variety of factors potentially influenced adoption, but several, such as economic health of the surrounding community, had a more consistent relationship. Moore commented, "It is satisfying to see this article in print, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Jim Hearn, who was instrumental in the creation of this study and provided invaluable feedback and assistance as it progressed.” Their research is published in Economic Development Quarterly (May 2020) Read the full article at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0891242420924458 Type of News/Audience: Alumni Tags: research
