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In the Midwest, many factory towns and manufacturing hubs have languished. Most of these heartland communities rely on traditional economic development strategies to reinvigorate their economies. Yet, evidence suggest traditional economic development tools may be ineffective compared to investments in quality of life and place. Rather than a return to the past, a Rust Belt Rebound may require a new community vision of what makes the Midwest a nice place to live and work.

About the speaker:

Dr. Amanda Weinstein is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Akron. She graduated with a PhD in Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics from The Ohio State University. As the C. William Swank Program in Rural-Urban Policy Graduate Research Associate, she conducted research on regional economic growth. She has consulted for various organizations including the OECD, advising on the economic impacts of alternative energy development on rural communities, and the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, advising on the economic impact of energy policy in Ohio. Her current research areas include examining the factors that lead to the economic success (or economic decline) of places. Her research focus is on policies that can help attract and keep a skilled workforce and the importance of enhancing the quality of life in communities. One recent publication examined gender differences in quality of life and preferences for location-specific amenities. Her research has been featured in various media including the Atlantic’s CityLab, MarketWatch, Brookings, and the Harvard Business Review. She recently received grant funding through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, “Charting a More Prosperous Future for America’s Micropolitan Regions” to develop a data-driven approach to economic development policy for small towns that focused on the importance of quality of life and local amenities for economic development in small towns. Before starting her PhD at OSU, she was a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy.

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