Tanya Baker
Office
Warner 311
Tel
(802) 443-5837
Email
tbyker@middlebury.edu
Office Hours
Tuesday 3-4:30pm and Wednesday 2:00-3:30pm

Tanya Byker joined the Economics faculty as an assistant professor in the fall of 2014. She teaches courses in regression, and the economics of gender. 

Professor Byker graduated from Swarthmore College and received her PhD from the University of Michigan.  Her research falls under the categories of labor and development economics and focuses on the interrelated choices individuals make about education, work and parenthood.  She has studied how birth-related career interruptions in the US vary by mother’s education, and the ways that parental leave laws impact those labor-supply decisions. In a developing country context, she has studied how access to family planning impacts fertility and longer-term outcomes such as schooling and employment in Peru and South Africa.

Courses Taught

Course Description

Economics and Gender
Economics and Gender is an introduction to using the tools of economics to understand gender-related issues. In the first part of the course we will review economic models of the household, fertility, and labor supply and discuss how they help us interpret long-term trends in marriage and divorce, fertility, and women’s labor-force participation. In the second part of the course we will study economic models of wage determination and focus on explanations of, and policy remedies for, earnings differentials by gender. The final part of the course will focus on new research in economics on gender-related topics. (ECON 0155) 3hrs. lect.

Terms Taught

Spring 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2024

Requirements

CW, SOC

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Course Description

Introduction to Regression Analysis
In this course regression analysis is introduced. The major focus is on quantifying relationships between economic variables. Multiple regression identifies the effect of several exogenous variables on an endogenous variable. After exploring the classical regression model, fundamental assumptions underlying this model will be relaxed, and further new techniques will be introduced. Methods for testing hypotheses about the regression coefficients are developed throughout the course. Both theoretical principles and practical applications will be emphasized. The course goal is for each student to employ regression analysis as a research tool and to justify and defend the techniques used. (MATH 0121; and ECON 0111, (formerly ECON 0210) ECON 0150 or ECON 0155) 3 hrs. lect., 1 hr. lab

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Fall 2023

Requirements

DED

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Course Description

Population Economics
In this course we will use an economic perspective to analyze changes in fertility, mortality, marriage, and household structure in both industrialized and developing countries. We will explore how these changes interact with labor markets, poverty, inequality, urbanization, migration and the status of women using the theoretical and empirical tools of applied economic analysis. Students will engage in data-driven projects to study demographic behavior. Experience with statistical analysis is strongly encouraged. (ECON 0255 or 0240 required; ECON 0211 strongly recommended) 3 hrs. sem.

Terms Taught

Spring 2020, Fall 2021

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Course Description

Individual Special Project
If you choose to pursue an area that we do not offer or go in depth in an area already covered, we recommend the Individual Special Project option. These ECON 0500 proposals MUST be passed by the entire department and are to be submitted to the chair by the first Friday of fall and spring semester, respectively. The proposals should contain a specific description of the course contents, its goals, and the mechanisms by which goals are to be realized. It should also include a bibliography. According to the College Handbook, ECON 0500 projects are a privilege open to those students with advanced preparation and superior records in their fields. A student needs to have a 3.5 or higher G.P.A. in Economics courses taken at Middlebury in order to pursue an Individual Special Project. ECON 0500 does not count towards the major or minor requirements.

Terms Taught

Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025

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Course Description

Introduction to Data
Data analysis is a tool used by astrophysicists and advertisers, politicians and students of Shakespeare. Data can be used to manipulate and harm; and it can be used to address the most pressing issues facing society from curing disease to fighting injustice. This course is an introduction to data for students with any background, planning to pursue any major at Middlebury. We will tackle the following questions: How is data collected? How do we access data? How do we use data? We will get data into a format we can analyze, learn theoretical and practical tools for analysis, and explore ways to communicate our findings (e.g., data visualization). (The course will have a topical theme that may change from year to year.) (Only open to incoming first year students)

Terms Taught

Summer Study 2022, Summer Study 2023, Summer Study 2024

Requirements

DED, Summer Study

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