MARY ESCHELBACH HANSEN Associate Professor Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Economics American University Contact Information: Roper 208 Phone: 202-885-3793 Department: 202-885-3770 Fax: 202-885-3790 mhansen at american.edu
Professor Hansen is on leave during Spring 2009. The best way to contact her is by e-mail. Undergraduate advisees and majors seeking advice: Please consult Professor Walter Park.
In the news: Op-ed, Washington Post, October 19, 2008: “Despite a Tragedy, Adoption Aid Remains Crucial.” Interview on WAMU’s Metro Connection, October 10, 2008: “DC Remembers 1929.” Interview on AARP’s Inside E Street, December 12, 2008: “Jobs Wanted: For Hire,” Segment: “Looking to the Past” Testimony before the, Council of the District of Columbia, Committee on Human Services, Public Oversight Hearing on Extending Adoption and Guardianship Subsidies Until Age 21 and Expanding Guardianship Subsidies to Non-Kin, December 12, 2008.
Selected recent publications: “Using Subsidies to Promote the Adoption of Children from Foster Care,” Journal of Family and Economic Issues 28, 2007, pp. 377-393, doi: 10.1007/s10834-007-9067-6. “The Value of Adoption,” Adoption Quarterly 10(2), 2007, pp. 65-87. doi: 101300/J145v10n02_03. “The Distribution of a Federal Entitlement: The Case of Adoption Assistance” Journal of Socio-Economics 37(6), December 2008, pp. 2427-2442. doi:10.1016/j.socec.2007.06.013. “Religion, Social Capital, and Business Bankruptcy, 1921-1932” (with Bradley Hansen), Business History 50(6), November 2008, pp. 714-727. Forthcoming: “Raising the Cut-Off: The Empirical Case for Extending Adoption and Guardianship Subsidies from Age 18 to 21” (with Josh Gupta-Kagan), forthcoming in Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy (anticipated Winter 2008). Hansen’s complete C.V.
resources For Students in Current Courses Fall 2008: Syllabus for ECON-200 Syllabus for ECON-480	resources For Economics Majors Virtual Advisor in Economics Major Requirements Worksheet How to declare a Major or Minor Join Omicron Delta Epsilon, Economics Honor Society Honors in Economics Honors Forms Undergraduate Grants, Conferences, Paper Competitions, and Summer Opportunities
Archive of Capstone Projects	resources for department Colleagues Department Undergraduate Studies Plan and Reports EEA 2007 Pictures

On Teaching:

Teach: v., to help each student understand.

That’s my definition of teaching. As I work on improving my teaching—which I do all the time—I look for new ways to help each student understand economics. I incorporate games, examples, demonstrations, problem solving, experiments, and other tools into my classes so that each student can understand more easily.

I view teaching and advising graduate students and advising undergraduate students on research and independent studies as an opportunity to help each student meet his or her own goals.

I love teaching. Working with students is the most fun a person can have and be paid for it! Helping a student understand a concept is rewarding, exhilarating.

(This page was last February 6, 2009)