Department of Economics (207)859-5240 5240 Mayflower Hill [email protected] Waterville, ME 04901 www.colby.edu/economics/rlester Academic Positions Associate Professor of Economics, Colby College 2020- Assistant Professor of Economics, Colby College 2015-2020 Education Ph.D., Economics, University of Notre Dame 2015 M.A., Economics, University of Notre Dame 2013 B.A., Economics, University of Montana 2010 Publications (* indicates Colby College undergraduate co-author) “Without Looking Closer, It May Seem Cheap: Low Interest Rates and Government Borrowing.” (Joint with Julio Garín, Eric Sims, and Jonathan Wolff), Economic Letters, July 2019, 180: 28-32. “Are Supply Shocks Contractionary at the ZLB? Evidence from Utilization-Adjusted TFP Data.” (Joint with Julio Garín and Eric Sims), The Review of Economics and Statistics, March 2019, 101(1): 160-175. “The Opportunity Cost(s) of Employment and Search Intensity.” (Joint with Julio Garín), Macroeconomic Dynamics, January 2019, 23(1): 216-239. “Raise Rates to Raise Inflation? Neo-Fisherianism in a New Keynesian Model.” (Joint with Julio Garín and Eric Sims), Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking, February 2018, 50(1): 243-259. “The Relationship between Economic Freedom and Economic Dynamism.” (Joint with Keith Barnatchez*), Contemporary Economic Policy, April 2017, 35(2): 358-372. “On The Desirability of Nominal GDP Targeting.” (Joint with Julio Garín and Eric Sims), Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, August 2016, 69: 21-44. “Home Production, Price Stickiness, and Economic Fluctuations.” Journal of Macroeconomics, September 2014, 41: 107-121. “Volatility and Welfare.” (Joint with Michael Pries and Eric Sims), Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, January 2014, 38: 17-36. “The Empirical Relevance of the Mises-Hayek Theory of the Trade Cycle.” (Joint with Jonathan Wolff), Review of Austrian Economics, December 2013, 26(4): 433-461. Working Papers “The Welfare Effects of Eliminating Currency.” (Joint with Julio Garín and William Lastrapes). “Easing for Whom? Central Bank Asset Purchases and Household Inequality.” (Joint with Ron Mau and Kevin Rinz). “Working, Consuming, and Dying: The Diversity of the American Experience.” (Joint with Julio Garín and Chadwick Curtis). Textbook Intermediate Macroeconomics, joint with Julio Garín and Eric Sims Teaching Experience Colby College Technology, Education, and Labor Markets Economic Growth Mathematical Economics Macroeconomic Theory Principles of Macroeconomics University of Notre Dame Money, Credit, and Banking Statistics for Economics Awards, Honors, & Certificates • Student nominee for the 5th Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting on Economic Sciences, 2014 • Oak Ridge Associated Universities Graduate Student Award, 2014 • Advanced Teaching Scholar Certificate, University of Notre Dame, 2014 • Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, University of Notre Dame, 2014 • ISLA Professional Development Award, University of Notre Dame, 2013 • Kellogg Institute Conference Travel Grant, University of Notre Dame, 2013 • Striving for Excellence in College and University Teaching Certificate, University of Notre Dame, 2013 • Distinguished Second Year Paper Award, University of Notre Dame • Graduate School Presidential Fellowship, University of Notre Dame Conference and Seminar Presentations 2020: Lafayette College 2019: Colgate University; Xavier University 2018: Bates College; Bowdoin College; Liberal Arts Macroeconomic Workshop, Wake Forest University 2016: Bates College; University of Mississippi; Midwest Macroeconomics Meetings, Kansas City Federal Reserve 2015: Liberal Arts Macroeconomic Workshop, Union College; Maine Economics Conference, Bowdoin College; Colby College; Colorado College; Providence College; Villanova University; West Virginia University; Xavier University 2014: Midwest Macroeconomics Meetings, Florida International University; Economics Graduate Student Conference, Washington University in Saint Louis; Missouri Valley Economic Association Meetings, Saint Louis, Missouri; Missouri Economics Conference, University of Missouri 2013: Midwest Macro Meetings, University of Minnesota, Midwest Macro Meetings, University of Illinois; Missouri Economics Conference, University of Missouri 2012: Midwest Macro Meetings, University of Notre Dame Professional Service Co-Organizer Maine Economics Conference 2017-2019 Co-Organizer Workshop on Economic Dynamics 2019-2020 College and Department Service Economics Department Search Committee 2016-2018, 2020 Faculty Liaison for track and field 2017- Athletics Advisory Committee 2016-2017 Library Search Committee 2017 Distribution Requirements Task Force 2018- Bias Incident Prevention and Response Committee 2019 Faculty Liaison for football 2019 Referee Experience Review of Economics and Statistics, International Economic Review, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Economic Letters, Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Macroeconomic Dynamics, Economic Inquiry, Journal of Macroeconomics, Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Review of Austrian Economics, Empirical Economics, PLOS One .