Academic Background: BA (McMaster University), MA (Simon Fraser University), PhD (McMaster University).

My current research focuses mainly on explaining the factors that determine student academic outcomes. I have published work that measures the effect of school entry policy on short and long-term student achievement. Other recent work identifies the effect of school principals on student outcomes, whether school quality information shocks affect student mobility between schools, and whether longer exposure to kindergarten improves future achievement. I am also working on research that measures the effect of neighbourhood demographics on charitable donations, and the effect of taxes on smoking behaviour.

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant (PI) 2013.
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Standard Research Grant (PI) 2011.
• Association for Education Finance and Policy New Scholars Award (with E. Dhuey) 2011.
• AEFA Jean Flannigan Outstanding Dissertation Award 2009.
• Ontario Graduate Scholarship 2006 - 2007.
• McMaster University Graduate Scholarship 2004 - 2007.
• Roe L. Johns Travel Grant 2006 - 2007.
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canada Graduate Scholarship 2003.
• Simon Fraser University Graduate Fellowship 2003.
• The Ralph Weekes Scholarship 2002.
• The University Scholarship 1999 - 2000.

I am willing to supervise graduate students in the areas of education economics, labour economics and empirical microeconomics more generally.

• “How Important are School Principals in the Production of Student Achievement?” with Elizabeth Dhuey. Canadian Journal of Economics, forthcoming.
• “The Long-Run Impacts of Early Childhood Education: Evidence from a Failed Policy Experiment” with Phil DeCicca. Economics of Education Review 36, 2013.
• “How Do School ‘Report Cards’ Affect School Choice Decisions?” with Jane Friesen, Mohsen Javdani, and Simon Woodcock. Canadian Journal of Economics 45 (2), 2012.
• “How Valuable Is The Gift of Time? The Factors That Drive the Birth Date Effect.” Education Finance and Policy 5 (3) 2010.
• “Can Regression Discontinuity Help Answer an Age-Old Question in Education? The Effect of Age on Elementary and Secondary School Achievement.” The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy (Topics) 9 (1), 2009.

• What makes people donate? Laurier’s Justin Smith studies charitable giving