The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has introduced its 2024-25 cohort of research fellows at the Institute for Economic Equity. Nine scholars have been selected to conduct research on economic barriers and potential solutions.
William M. Rodgers III, director of the institute, stated, “The Institute for Economic Equity is proud to convene this stellar group of scholars to analyze the barriers to individuals’ economic potential and how to reduce or overcome those barriers.” He added that they are anticipating "insightful, in-depth research" from this group.
Among the new fellows is Jermaine Toney, an assistant professor at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Toney's past accolades include a National Bureau of Economic Research Postdoctoral Fellowship and membership in Rutgers University's early career faculty fellows program. His work has received support from organizations such as the Russell Sage Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Toney's research spans household finance, health economics, and stratification economics. His current projects investigate historical redlining, socioeconomic status transmission across generations, credit access disparities, racial wealth gap measurement methods, and health disparity impacts on financial participation. He commented on his fellowship goals: “I will be using the IEE fellowship to advance my current work that examines the effects of historical redlining and racially restrictive housing covenants on households and neighborhoods.”
Lina Moe is another fellow whose research explores economic inequality history, workplace evolution, public movements' impact on economic thought, among other topics. Her policy work includes efforts related to minimum wage legislation in New York and worker classification regulations.
Moe also delves into economic sociology with a focus on online platform economies and technology studies. At Rutgers University, she participates in a National Science Foundation-funded project examining emergent technologies regulation.
