Contact Information

Office Hours

• Monday 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Wednesday 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Friday 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Note: Additional office hours also available Monday - Friday by prior appointment.

Dr. Bell received his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Bell teaches the Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium, Principles of Macroeconomics, Principles of Microeconomics, Intermediate Microeconomics, Private Finance, Seminar in Transaction Cost Economics, Seminar in Economics, Approaches to Research in Economics, and Senior Research in Economics. His main research areas are political economy, which is the study of the way the rules of the game influence economic and political outcomes, and teaching economics as a laboratory science. He is also interested in web programming and web design, and is taking advantage of those interests to create a website for teachers, students, journalists and others interested in economics. One of the many features the website will include is The Line Fitting Tool, a web application intended to provide an introduction to regression analysis. Dr. Bell's work has been published in such journals as the Journal of Public Economics, National Tax Journal, Journal of Economic Education, and  History of Political Economy. Before attending graduate school Dr. Bell spent two years as a research analyst for the Stanford Research Institute (now SRI International). He has conducted numerous studies for private businesses and the U.S. government. Dr. Bell has designed several web sites, including the Asheville Area Boating Beta Page and the Sun Catchers Project site. Dr. Bell has served as the faculty advisor to the bicycling, kayaking and ultimate Frisbee clubs. Off campus he enjoys kayaking (photo of Dr. Bell kayaking; another photo of Dr. Bell kayaking), canoeing, rafting, bicycling, hiking, taking photographs, web programming, web design and being a Dad. He has served as President of both the Western Carolina Paddlers -- a canoeing and kayaking club -- and Asheville Toastmasters -- a public speaking club. He currently serves as Treasurer for two organizations, American Whitewater and Circle of Mercy. He would be happy to provide more information about all organizations with which he is involved. See him in Karpen 147.

Education

• M.A., Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania
• B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley

Courses Taught

• ECON 179 Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquium
• ECON 101 Principles of Macroeconomics
• ECON 102 Principles of Microeconomics
• ECON 302 Intermediate Microeconomics
• ECON 305 Private Finance
• ECON 316 Seminar in Transaction Cost Economics
• ECON 380 Approaches to Research in Economics
• ECON 450 Seminar in Economics
• ECON 480 Senior Research in Economics