After serving honorably in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Spanbauer began his formal education in economics. At the end of his undergraduate program, he was recruited by Germany’s Central Bank to participate on an international team researching the practical uses of Game Theory in setting federal monetary policy. After returning to the United States, he spent a half-decade completing his Ph.D. and conducting government policy research within the Tulane Department of Economics. While at Tulane, Dr. Spanbauer’s research specialized in quantifying the monetary impact of social, environmental, and legal policies.Dr. Spanbauer was then recruited to apply with Mississippi State University’s NSPARC, an internationally recognized multidisciplinary center specializing in use-inspired research, data analytics, and software architecture and development with a focus on workforce and economic development. In his role as Project Manager, Dr. Spanbauer constructs the theoretical framework for strategically-important research projects and then oversees their practical implementation. Dr. Spanbauer has successfully completed projects for clients in all levels of government, private corporations, and academia.As of 2022, Dr. Spanbauer has been involved in the publication of more than 40 articles, policy briefs, and technical reports, and he has been integral in securing more than $4 million of grants, sponsored projects, and other competitive awards. Dr. Spanbauer’s recent research focuses on labor force development, economic development, and government policy.To learn more, please visit www.MichaelSpanbauer.com