Assistant Professor of Economics Sarah Palor Dean’s research includes lab experiments that explore the willingness of buyers to own cryptocurrencies. Photo by Penh Alicandro ’22
Sarah Palor Dean comes from a long line of educators and is looking to bring the same joy to students at Eckerd College.
“My mom was a teacher. Her mom was a teacher. My mom’s dad was also a teacher,” Dean says. “It was something to work hard towards and enjoy, and so my mom really was able to instill, like, a love of math in me.”
Dean, Eckerd’s new assistant professor of economics, combines her expertise in mathematics and economics with a passion for innovative research. Though this is her first faculty position, her work already shows the promise of contributing significantly to the field and to her students.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in both mathematics and economics at the University of Arizona, where she discovered her passion for economics. “I fell in love with econ and how it could change your way of thinking about the world,” she says. She went on to earn her master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Interdisciplinary Center for Economic Science at George Mason University—finishing her doctorate in 2024.
“It was kind of a whirlwind for my last semester in grad school because I defended my dissertation in March, I got married in April, I graduated in May, and then I moved down here to start at Eckerd at the end of June,” she explains.
Dean chose Eckerd because she was drawn to its emphasis on teaching and the value of a liberal arts education. “Eckerd is an amazing school …,” she says. “The community is really focused on teaching and engaging with students and helping one another.”
Her research includes lab experiments that explore the willingness of buyers to own cryptocurrencies. By giving one group $3 in cash and another $3 in Bitcoin, she found that participants who received Bitcoin were more likely to want to own cryptocurrencies. She uses this data to conduct further analysis, aiming to publish her findings in peer-reviewed journals to contribute to experimental economics.
Her interest in cryptocurrency began during her time at George Mason University. “I initially started researching different trading mechanisms, which led us into studying cryptocurrencies,” she explains.
Though Dean doesn’t own cryptocurrency herself, she is focused on understanding its dynamics through her research. “I believe cryptocurrencies have value due to their potential to influence trading mechanisms and market efficiency,” she says.
She views cryptocurrencies as valuable because they introduce new methods for trading and improving market dynamics.
“Cryptocurrencies offer innovative approaches to trading mechanisms, which can lead to more efficient market outcomes,” she adds.
Dean says she constantly seeks to understand the impact of economic policies. “How do different policies impact economic incentives that we see?” she asks. It’s the endless possibilities within economics that keep her engaged. “The number of applications that we can see and use with economics keeps me coming back.”
Dean says she hopes to share this drive with her students, encouraging them to explore economics with the same curiosity and openness.
