Who we are
The mission of the Fiscal and Economic Research Center (FERC) is to tap into University of Wisconsin-Whitewater faculty expertise and provide outreach services to members of of the regional community. In achieving this mission, FERC provides high-caliber students with the opportunity to work closely with faculty experts in applying concepts and theories to practical, real-world cases. Practical project-based work not only enhances students' educational experience, but it also maximizes their value to future employers by providing them with an economic tool-set applicable in modern firms.
The FERC's services include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Economic analysis
- Land-use planning
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis
- Market research, marketing strategy and planning
- Statistical analysis
- Simulation analysis
- Ecological and biological analysis
- Government and public policy analysis
- Entrepreneurship
- Economic forecasting and business development
FERC is a self-sustaining center that is supported by fees generated by individual projects and grants.
Dr. Russ Kashian - Director -
Curriculum Vitae
As Director of the FERC and a Professor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, has seen his work in applied economics published in both practitioner format and in peer reviewed academic journals. Beginning with the "Value of a Clean Lake", the FERC has focused on the positive economic impact of managing the environment for positive economic contributions with consideration to the environment. In its research into Tax Incremental Finance, serious effort was made to see the relationship between one economic activity and a neighboring activity. In its recent work on the specialty crops of Wisconsin, supply chain analysis has been integrated with input/output analysis in economic impact calculations. Dr. Kashian earned a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a MS in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University, and PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dr. Matthew Winden - Assistant Director
Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Winden is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Assistant Director of the FERC. He specializes in environmental and natural resource economics issues and focuses on valuation techniques, discrete choice analysis, welfare and policy analysis, survey design and economic impact assessment. His prior research includes valuation of biofuels' crops environmental impacts, assessment of the benefits of disaster mitigation spending on coastal communities, analysis of water quality trading programs, valuation of water quality, and valuation and classification of ecosystem services. He teaches courses in economic theory, resource and environmental economics, and quantitative methods at the undergraduate level as well as in both the MBA and MS Applied Economics graduate programs. Dr. Winden earned his BS from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and his PhD from The Ohio State University.