J.M. Ian Salas, PhD, is an applied microeconomist with research interests in the fields of development, labor, demography, and health. His research focused on the causal explanations for high fertility in many developing countries, with an eye towards credibly identifying the contributions of several supply-side and demand-side factors in shaping fertility behavior. As a Bell Fellow, he investigated the behavioral mechanisms behind the persistence of fertility differentials by socioeconomic status. He also continued his research on the effects of recurring natural disasters on fertility and health at birth and early childhood, including its ramifications for later life outcomes.
