Michael Farren

Michael D. Farren was a Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.12 His research primarily focused on the effects of government favoritism, particularly in the context of economic development and labor markets.12

Background and Education

Farren holds a PhD in applied economics, which he obtained in 2017.5 He also has a Master's degree in civil engineering and transportation.5 During his academic journey, he was part of the Frédéric Bastiat Fellowship at the Mercatus Center.5

Career Progression

Mercatus Center:: Farren's role at the Mercatus Center was significant in his career. As a Senior Research Fellow, he contributed to various research projects and policy discussions.12

Current Position:: It's important to note that Farren has moved on from the Mercatus Center. He is currently serving as the Assistant Director and Policy Fellow at the State and Local Government Initiative at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.36

Previous Experience:: Before his roles at Mercatus and Hoover, Farren worked at the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) and Ohio State University (OSU).3

Research and Expertise

Farren's areas of expertise include:

• State and local policy
• Economic development
• Labor economics

His work has been cited by other scholars in these fields.7

Public Engagement

Farren has been involved in public discourse on policy matters. He has appeared in seven videos in the C-SPAN Video Library, discussing various economic and policy topics.4 Additionally, he has contributed to publications such as Reason Magazine, where he continued to explore themes related to government favoritism and its economic impacts.8