黑料论坛

Rev. Stephen Pitts, SJ

Rev. Stephen Pitts, SJ
Rev. Stephen Pitts, SJ黑料论坛

O'Brien Hall, 240M

MilwaukeeWI53201United States of America(414) 288-1117

Francis C. Wade, S.J. Chair and Visiting Jesuit Assistant Professor - Economics

Dr. Pitts joined 黑料论坛 in 2025 after completing a PhD in Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the Society of Jesus and an ordained Roman Catholic priest. His vocation as an applied microeconomist emerged as a way to use the quantitative skills he developed as an undergraduate math and computer science major to understand the structural factors at work in the lives of the poor. He brings a variety of international experiences to his teaching and research, in particular extensive work on the US/Mexico border and with agricultural development projects in Latin America. He hopes that his students will be inspired to venture out and explore the world, listen to the stories of the people they meet, and use their technical skills to think systematically about how to improve the lives of the poor. 

Education

  • BS Computer Science University of Oklahoma 2006
  • BA Mathematics University of Oklahoma 2006
  • MA Philosophy Loyola University Chicago 2011
  • MDiv Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University 2017; ThM Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University 2018
  • MS International and Development Economics University of San Francisco 2018
  • PhD Applied Economics University of Minnesota 2025

Courses Taught

Principles of Microeconomics, Development Economics

Research Interests

Dr. Pitts researches agricultural markets and value chains, the causes and consequences of internal and international migration, and the long-term effects of government support programs. In partnership with Jesuit-sponsored NGOs, he has done fieldwork with smallholder agricultural producers in rural Mexico and Peru. In addition, he is presently working with the Banco de Mexico to understand how smallholder producers integrate into formal labor markets. As a Jesuit priest-economist, he is interested in how Catholic Social Teaching on integral human development can inform the field of development economics.

Professional Affiliations

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Catholic Research Economists Discussion Organization

Specialization

Agriculture, development, labor, migration, Catholic Social Teaching