Damon Jones (economist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Damon Jones
Jones in 2017
Born	Arthur-Damon M Jones
Alma mater	University of California, Berkeley (PhD) Stanford University
Spouse(s)	Eve Ewing
Scientific career
Institutions	University of Chicago Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research
Thesis	Essays on taxation, transfers and consumption smoothing (2009)

Damon Jones is an American economist and a professor at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. He is known for his research and for explaining complex economic ideas to everyone.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he studied how the virus affected different groups of people, especially communities of color. He even shared his findings with the United States House Committee on the Budget.

Early Life and Education

When Damon Jones was in high school, he was chosen as a Du Bois Scholar. This program helps talented students. He later studied public policy at Stanford University. He also learned about African-American studies.

For his advanced studies, he went to the University of California, Berkeley. There, he focused on economics. After earning his PhD, he returned to Stanford. He worked as a researcher at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.

Research and Career

In 2010, Damon Jones joined the Harris School of Public Policy as a professor. He also works with the National Bureau of Economic Research. Jones focuses on three main areas in economics:

• Public finance: How governments collect and spend money.
• Government taxation: How taxes work.
• Behavioral taxation: How people's decisions affect taxes.

Helping Families with Money

Jones has studied how income taxes affect families with lower incomes. He suggested making changes to the earned income tax credit. This is a program that helps low-income workers. He thought payments should be given out faster.

He also looked at how older Americans decide when to stop working. He studied the Social Security Annual Earnings Test (AET). This rule can reduce retirement benefits if someone earns too much money while still working.

Jones was part of a group that suggested giving cash directly to low-income families. His research showed that these cash payments can quickly make people's lives better. They also don't make people leave their jobs.

Sports and Inequality

As a big fan of college sports, Jones became interested in the money side of things for student athletes. He believes that student athletes should be paid for their work. He also thinks they should be able to form unions.

Jones has also researched the racial wealth gap in the United States. This is the difference in how much money and property different racial groups have. He found that Black families often have less wealth than white families. They are also more likely to be unemployed and have less access to unemployment benefits.

Supporting Teachers and Health

Jones is part of a program called Innovations for Poverty Action. This program helps teachers who are struggling with their finances. Many teachers, especially in schools with low-income families, leave their jobs. This can be because of large student loan debts. Jones explores if personalized help can make a difference.

In 2020, Jones received an award to study workplace wellness programs. He leads a study that looks at how financial rewards affect whether employees join these programs. These programs aim to help people stay healthy at work.

Impact of COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Damon Jones investigated why communities of color were hit the hardest. He showed that long-standing racial inequality meant that financial problems affected Black and Hispanic families more than white families.

In June 2020, Jones spoke to the United States House Committee on the Budget. He explained that the pandemic would hurt people with less financial stability the most. He said, "while it may seem that the current crisis calls on all of us to make sacrifices, not all households have to tighten their belts equally."

In November 2020, Jones was asked to join the team helping Joe Biden prepare to become president. He helped with economic advice.

Promoting Diversity

Damon Jones believes that there should be more diversity in the field of economics. He especially wants to see more Black economists. He serves on the board of the W. E. B. Du Bois Scholars Institute. This group helps high school students from communities that have faced challenges.

Personal Life

Damon Jones is married to Eve Ewing. She is an American poet, sociologist, and artist.