Germán Reyes
Assistant Professor of Economics
- Office
- Warner 014
- Tel
- (202) 790-0085
- greyes@middlebury.edu
- Office Hours
- FALL 2025: Monday 2:30-4:00 PM, Wednesday 2:30-4:00 PM, or by appointment
Germán Reyes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and an Associate Member of the IZA Institute of Labor Economics. He joined Middlebury College in 2024, after receiving his Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University and completing a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the briq Institute on Behavior & Inequality in Bonn, Germany.
Prior to graduate school, Germán worked as a research analyst at the World Bank in Washington D.C. and as an analyst at the Ministry of Economics in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Germán’s research interests lie primarily in behavioral economics and labor economics. He focuses on the economic consequences of cognitive limitations, the impact of fairness views on redistributive preferences, and the links between access to higher education and inequality.
When he’s not in Warner Hall teaching or analyzing data, Germán enjoys hiking the Green Mountains, watching River Plate soccer games, and listening to podcasts (Freakonomics and This American Life are among his favorites). He is always up for an espresso or some mate (Argentinean tea).
Courses Taught
ECON 0211
Current
Regression Analysis
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
Requirements
ECON 0495
Behavioral Econ/Public Policy
Course Description
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
In this course we will examine some of the main findings of behavioral economics, with a focus on how these findings help design psychologically grounded policies. We will cover policy applications in areas like taxation, health, climate change, and education. We'll discuss papers covering real-world applications of behavioral insights across various contexts. Students will make a policy proposal to improve a current social program using insights from the class. The primary reading for the course will be journal articles and working papers, complemented with policy reports and book chapters. (ECON 0211 and ECON 0255) 3 hrs. sem.
Terms Taught
ECON 0500
Current
Upcoming
Individual Special Project
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
ECON 0701
Upcoming
Senior Research Workshop I
Course Description
Senior Research Workshop I
In this first semester, students will design and begin their projects. Emphasis will be on designing a novel research question (while making the case for its importance) and an appropriate strategy for answering it. This requires immersion in the academic literature on the topic. General research principles and tools will be taught in class, as a group, while those specific to individual projects will be covered in one-on-one meetings. By the end of the term, students will outline their plan for completing the project, including demonstrating that it is a feasible research question for which the necessary information (e.g., data or source materials) is available or can be generated by the student (e.g., lab or other experiment). (Approval required)
Terms Taught
ECON 0702
Upcoming
Senior Research Workshop II
Course Description
Senior Research Workshop II
In this second semester of the senior research workshop sequence, the focus is on the execution of the research plan developed in ECON 0701. Most instruction is now one-on-one but the workshop will still meet as a group to discuss and practice the presentation of results in various formats (seminars, poster sessions, et cetera) to the rest of the workshop and others in the college and broader communities. Feedback and critiques from such presentations will be incorporated into the project, which will culminate in a research paper in the style of an economics journal article. (ECON 0701; Approval required)
Terms Taught