Background
WILLIS, Robert J. was born in 1940 in Great Falls, Montana, United States of America.
WILLIS, Robert J. was born in 1940 in Great Falls, Montana, United States of America.
Bachelor of Arts Dartmouth College, Master of Arts, 1962. Master of Arts, Doctor of Philosophy University Washington, Seattle, 1965, 1971.
Lector, Assistant Professor, Wesleyan University, Connecticut, 1966-1971. Assistant Professor, Association Professor, Graduate Center, City University New York,
4. Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economie Research, New York, New York, United States of America, 1971.
Visiting Association Professor, Association Professor, Visiting Professor, Stanford University, 1974-1975, 1975-1978,
3.
Visiting Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, 1977-1978. National Fellow, Hoover Institute, Institution, 1982-1983.
Professor of Economics, State University New York Stony Brook, Research Association, Economics Research Center, Association Director, Population Research, National Opinion Research Center, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, since 1978. Editorial Board, J Labor Economics, since 1982.
Beginning with my Doctor of Philosophy thesis, the focus of much of my research has been on the determinants and consequences of population growth. Initially, the emphasis was on microeconomic models of family behaviour, including determinants of
the number and quality of children and the use and efficacy of fertility control. In the last five years, I have been attempting to build a theory of demographic transition which links microand macro-level economic demographic interactions within the framework of the overlapping generations model.
This emphasises the role of intergenerational transfers within families and the effects of population growth on the equilibrium interest rate and rates of accumulation of human and physical capital. Lately I have also been doing theoretical research on a ‘contractual view’ of the family and its implications for divorce settlements and child support. I am just now beginning a major data collection effort which will allow empirical investigation of issues concerning marriage and divorce and also issues concerning intergenerational transfers within families in the United States.
Another line of research involves the application of econometric methods to problems of labour supply and human capital using longitudinal data. This work includes studies of sequential labour force participation by married women, the dynamics of earnings and transitions into and out of poverty, and the role of unmeasured ability factors in determining schooling choice and subsequent life-cycle earnings.