Econometric Methodology:
Time Series Analysis, Qualitative Dependent Variable, and Panel Data Analysis, Mathematical Statistics, Bayesian Analysis.

Computing Facility:
We have a CIRT computer housed in the economics department, where most of our econometrics classes are run. These computers are also linked to the mainframes. In addition, a student computer lounge is also available for our graduate students that houses a few 486 machines.

Software:
Many of our faculty use econometric modeling in their research, and so many of them are quite familiar with several powerful econometric software such as GAUSS, RATS, LIMDEP, SAS, SHAZAM, and SPSS. A few also deal with Mathematica. Our students routinely write applied papers using econometric methodology.

Database:
Since the department has an applied research orientation we tend to deal with various data analysis. Students and faculty use a wide variety of data for their research. Examples include experimental data, survey data, and a good amount of cross-sectional, panel, and time series data.

Our faculty are involved in research in a wide range of issues such as natural resources and environmental economics, economics of education, public economics, health economics, gender and race discrimination, migration, development economics, Latin American economics, immigration, international trade, input-output analysis, and industrial organization. So there is a wealth of experience in dealing with medium and large scale survey data (CDROMS, tapes, and floppies) such as U.S. census data (tapes), NLSY (National Longitudinal Survey of Youth; CDROM), High School and Beyond, NEL (National Education Longitudinal Study; CDROM), Health Care Survey (CDROM), household surveys related to the Latin American countries (tapes), Toxic Release Inventory Data (CDROM), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Data (floppies), recreation data (floppies), immigration and coast guard data (floppies). A few faculty are also involved in research using time series data such as the CITIBASE (U.S. macro series; CDROM and floppies) and the OECD (CDROM and floppies) data. So, students have an immense opportunity to get involved in a wide variety of exciting research areas. We will provide to faculty and students a detailed information on this sometimes in the future except for proprietary data.

Experimental data are generated in our experimental lab where graduate students get involved in experimental economics. Students and faculty conduct experiments on, for example, tax compliance and apply econometric methods to analyze these data. This first-hand experience in the data collection process tailored to your specific need, especially under a controlled environment, is quite insightful.

Our future plan includes exposing students to the internet and encourage them to exploit a vast amount of the latest information on the net. Typical examples include getting information on recent Congressional hearings and downloading the latest statistical data.

Since the CDROM has become a popular, cheap, and a powerful data storage system, we will be encouraging our students to be familiar with this data storage tool. We are working on a grant proposal to set up a home page data bank to house some of these data sets in a usable form. It will serve two purposes: students will have an early exposure to internet system, and secondly, students will have at their disposal a huge resource to help them conduct quality research work.

We have an access to an excellent facility at the Institute of Public Policy, where regular surveys are conducted to collect focus-group data on political opinion, valuation of public goods, and socio-economic characteristics. We encourage our students to use this facility and gain experience with first-hand survey data and write applied papers using econometrics methodology.

We also have an excellent on-campus resource called the Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER). The BBER has been a good source for data related to the New Mexico economy. The BBER maintains a huge econometric structural model for the New Mexico Economy and performs various policy simulations. Our students use this resource to conduct various applied research.

Econometrics Sequence:
For our undergraduates, we have an excellent sequence of courses intended to give them a concentration in quantitative methods and modeling. These courses include 407 (Math Econ), 445 (Cost-Benefit Analysis), 408 (Time Series Analysis and Forecasting), and 409 (Intermediate Econometrics). In the upper division econometric courses such as 408, and 409, students are involved in a hands-on computer modeling exercises, and write term papers using econometric methodology. The 445 cost-benefit analysis course also involves students on applied projects.

Our graduate level econometrics sequence is well-structured, and incoming Ph.D. level students go through a sequence of courses such as 508 (Mathematical Statistics and Econometrics), 509 (Econometrics I) and 510 (Econometrics II). An additional topics econometrics course 519 is also offered occasionally.

A well-rounded econometrics program offered in the department that includes many facets of modeling aspects provides a strong support for other areas of our expertise: Natural Resources and Environmental, Labor and Human Resources/Development, and Public Finance.