Jacob Bastian is an assistant professor of economics at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His research explores how public policy can reduce poverty, expand economic opportunity, and shape social attitudes, while also identifying potential unintended consequences. Much of his work focuses on how tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, affect the well-being of lower-income U.S. families. Bastian’s research has been published in leading academic journals, including AEJ: Policy, the Journal of Public Economics, and the Journal of Labor Economics. His work has also been featured in major media outlets, such as The New York Times and The Economist. Prior to joining Rutgers, he completed a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan. From 2023 to 2024, Bastian served as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, where he focused on child poverty, child care, and increasing the supply of affordable housing.