Who we are
The mission of the Fiscal and Economic Research Center (FERC) is to tap into the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater faculty expertise and provide outreach services to members of the regional community. In achieving this mission, FERC provides highcaliber 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 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
Dr. Kashian is the Director of the FERC and a Professor of Economics at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater. His work in applied economics has been published in practitioner and peer-reviewed academic journals. He focuses on the positive economic impact of managing the environment for economic contributions while considering the environment. His research has explored the relationship between different economic activities, including Tax Incremental Finance, and has integrated supply chain and input/output analysis for economic impact calculations. Dr. Kashian holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MS in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University, and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Dr. Matthew Winden - Asst. Director
Curriculum Vitae
Dr. Winden is the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs at the College of Business and Economics, Associate Professor of Economics, and the Assistant Director of the FERC, specializing in environmental and natural resource economics. His research areas include valuation techniques, discrete choice analysis, welfare and policy analysis, survey design, and economic impact assessment. He has researched topics such as the environmental impacts of biofuels' crops, disaster mitigation spending benefits for coastal communities, water quality trading programs, water quality valuation, and ecosystem services classification. Dr. Winden holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (BS) and The Ohio State University (PhD).