Bob Williams
Bob Williams, Associate Professor of Economics
Bob enjoys applying economic analysis to public policy issues. In 1986 he coauthored the study "Does Shearon Harris Make Economic Sense?: An Evaluation of the Costs of Shearon Harris and its Alternatives" concerning the economic feasibility of a nuclear power plant.
He has also testified before the North Carolina Public Utilities Commission and the North Carolina General Assembly on electric utility policies and energy efficiency. In recent years, Bob has consulted with the School of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill to develop indicators to measure whether state policies promote a sustainable economy and social development. Most recently, Bob presented ideas on measuring sustainability to the Academy of Social Sciences in Shanghai, China.
After 15 years of teaching, Bob still enjoys working with students to foster a better understanding of key economic issues. He encourages his students to stretch themselves to tackle difficult challenges and supports them as they achieve their goals. You cannot visit Bob about a project with out being challenged to investigate another step further into the issues at hand.
On his personal time, Bob plays basketball, hikes in the NC mountains, gardens and works with Craftsman style furniture.