Jessica Simon is a part-time lecturer in the Economics Division. She holds a doctorate in Economics and Education from Columbia University, where her dissertation research examined the cost-effectiveness of early literacy programs. Dr. Simon’s published research has focused on achievement gaps amongst elementary school-aged struggling readers. Also, she has conducted research about the use of Internet games to encourage middle schoolers’ engagement with science and mathematics topics, and helped to develop a pilot survey of adult basic education teachers for the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Prior to completing her doctorate, Dr. Simon was an analyst at an educational consulting firm. In this role, she worked with development leadership at higher education institutions to analyze university fundraising, development resource allocation, and alumni relations. At Babson, Dr. Simon teaches principles of microeconomics to undergraduate students.