What attracted you to UGA?
EL: UGA has a fantastic community of scholars that I鈥檓 so excited to be a part of! In addition to all of the interesting and important research that is being done, everyone I鈥檝e met has been very supportive and friendly.

Where did you grow up?
EL: I grew up outside of Lexington, Kentucky, way out in the country. My parents still live there and I love going back to visit.

What are you working on that you’re most excited about?
EL: I have a couple of new projects on flu and HPV vaccination policy that I鈥檓 pretty excited about. They focus on analyzing not only the direct effects of the policies on vaccination rates, but also go farther and look at spillover effects of the policies to other outcomes, such as school absences and uptake of other preventive care, and to other non-targeted groups. These analyses show that the benefits of these vaccination policies go far beyond just increasing vaccination rates, which I think is very important and useful for policy makers.

What was your favorite part of your college experience?
EL: Probably the friendships that I developed. In terms of a specific experience, though, I would have to say my semester abroad in New Zealand. New Zealand is a gorgeous place and it really made me fall in love with traveling.

Please tell us about your research interests.
EL: I鈥檓 very interested in the determinants of infant and child health, and how that affects later life economic outcomes. In particular, I think it鈥檚 important to study how public policies interact with and shape these types of outcomes.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?
EL: Mostly I like to spend time outdoors 鈥� hiking and exploring new places. I also really enjoy reading and crafting, and lately have gotten into crossword puzzles (although I鈥檓 terrible at them!).

Please tell us one fun fact about you.
贰尝:听During my semester abroad in New Zealand I bungee-jumped off the third highest bungee in the world. If I ever make it back there I would love to do it again.

What is one goal you have for yourself for the next year?
EL: Professionally, I would like to get the last chapter of my dissertation published. A personal goal is to keep up with the training of my new puppy (my husband and I just got a standard poodle puppy named Blue).

Who inspires you in your research or career?
EL: I鈥檓 very inspired by a number of strong female economists, such as Janet Currie and Anna Aizer, who have broken a lot of boundaries in the profession and who consistently produce important and impactful research. Also economists such as Jon Gruber, who has been able to convert health economics research into very tangible policy that has helped improve the lives of a lot of people.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
EL: Teleport 鈥� I think it would be amazing to be able to be anywhere in the world at the drop of the hat. It would make travel and seeing family and friends so much easier!

What advice do you have for 快猫短视频 students?
EL: Work hard, but don鈥檛 forget to enjoy the experience. I鈥檓 a firm believer in work/life balance, and it鈥檚 something I consciously strive for in my own life.

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Eric Zeemering is the MPA Director and an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy. His research investigates local governance and intergovernmental relations, including interlocal contracting for municipal service delivery and the design and performance of networks for local environmental governance. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University in 2007.

What attracted you to UGA?

EZ: The 快猫短视频 has an amazing international reputation in public administration and when I was given the opportunity to take on the responsibilities of MPA director here, I was ecstatic about the opportunity. I had been looking for an opportunity to take this next career step to work with MPA students and help them realize their career goals, and I just could not have found a better place to do this type of work.

Where did you grow up?

EZ: I鈥檓 a Michigander, through and through. I grew up in West Michigan, in a small city called Rockford, just north of Grand Rapids.

What are you working on that you’re most excited about?

EZ: Through surveys and social network analysis, I am developing a better understanding of how local elected officials鈥� informal ties with other local officials help shape patterns of formal cooperation.

How do you like to spend your time when you’re not working?

EZ: I have two little boys, so I don鈥檛 really have free time. My oldest, who鈥檚 seven, plays hockey. I spend my free time driving to the ice and watching him master his hockey skills. It鈥檚 also great because the ice rink is one of the few places that鈥檚 a great temperature in Georgia at this time of year.

What is your favorite food?

EZ: A really good blueberry muffin and a cup of coffee is the greatest thing in the world.

Please tell us one fun fact about you.

EZ: I was a local elected official when I was 18. When I was in college I decided to run for city council in my hometown. I won and served a two-year term. That was a really great experience in my life because it helped me learn about local government but it also gave me a great opportunity to serve my community.

What is one goal you have for yourself for the next year?

EZ: One is to get to know UGA as well as I can. A more personal goal is to try to take a break each day and have sufficient time to appreciate what鈥檚 going on around me. I鈥檓 a firm believer that we can be so busy with the tasks at hand that we can miss some of the interesting and pleasant things around us. I鈥檓 making a point to take a short walk each day to appreciate the university鈥檚 design and architecture.

Who inspires you in your research or career?

EZ: I have two answers. My dad who passed away a number of years ago inspires the work that I do. He was an environmental site assessor; he was very passionate about figuring out new solutions to problems and about giving government officials feedback about what made sense in environmental law and what didn鈥檛 make sense.

At Indiana University, where I went to graduate school, I had a chance to spend some time learning from Elinor Ostrom, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics. What I really appreciated from my time with her was this sense that we鈥檙e all engaged in a conversation to better understand systems of governance. Diverse and interdisciplinary voices from around the university can contribute to a richer understanding of governance.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

EZ: I鈥檇 definitely fly. That鈥檚 the greatest thing. I don鈥檛 always enjoy the airline industry but I love the moment that a plane takes off because it鈥檚 just this amazing moment of defying gravity and leaving the ground.

What advice do you have for 快猫短视频 students?

EZ: The question I always ask students is 鈥淲hat does it mean to be a professional in the field you hope to work in?鈥� By asking that question, students can build their networks and ask themselves what it means to work toward their professional goals. It also helps them reflect on the interpersonal skills they need to develop their career. Each class is important but it鈥檚 also really important to sit back and take time to think about the collective experience and how you鈥檒l take that experience forward.

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