After a national search, Heather Stephens, a regional economist and associate professor of resource economics and management in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, has been selected to lead the West Virginia University Regional Research Institute.
In January 2023, Stephens will replace Randall Jackson, who retired in June.
Stephens joined WVU in 2015 after serving as a faculty member in the Department of Economics and director of the Office of Economic Research at California State University, Long Beach. She received her Ph.D. in agricultural, environmental and development economics and an MBA from The Ohio State University. Prior to joining academia, Stephens’ experiences include work in regional economic development, policy making, and business development in the private, nonprofit and public sectors.
“We are pleased that Dr. Heather Stephens will be the next director of the Regional Research Institute,” Melanie Page, associate vice president for creative and scholarly activities in the WVU Research Office, said. “Her expertise in regional economics and policy analysis is a perfect combination to lead RRI into its next decade."
Stephens’ research examines issues related to regional economic development and the differences in the impact of policies across regions. She has studied questions related to energy, environmental quality, entrepreneurship, health and regional growth.
She also currently serves on the editorial boards of the peer-reviewed journals Regional Science Policy and Practice and Growth and Change and on the advisory council of the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Stephens is often sought out by local and national media for her expertise.
In accepting this position, Stephens said, “The RRI has a well-established international reputation of promoting high-quality regional research and supporting the professional development of new regional researchers. Randy Jackson embodied this tradition, and I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to provide leadership to this prestigious institution. I look forward to engaging the WVU and international community as I build my vision for the next chapter of RRI.”
Page said Stephens will be in a position to build off of Jackson’s work in elevating RRI as a recognized center of excellence for regional analysis and research. Jackson served as RRI director from 2001 until his retirement.
Founded in 1965, the RRI serves as a center for the advancement of regional science, an interdisciplinary field that links economics, geography, planning and other social sciences. The Institute also creates learning opportunities and provides research support for faculty and students.