Thomas Boston

Professor Emeritus

Member Of:
  • School of International Affairs
Office Location:
Habersham 150
Related Links:

Overview

 

Thomas “Danny” Boston is a Professor of Economics and International Affairs in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech. He received the MA and Ph.D. degrees in Economics from Cornell University, where he specialized in economic development and macroeconomics. His appointment at Georgia Tech began in 1985 in the School of Economics. In 2013, he moved his appointment to the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. His current research areas are Performance Evaluation (focusing on quantitative assessments of public policies, programs, and projects), and entrepreneurship (focusing on minority and diverse groups and small businesses). He is the author or editor of six books and numerous scholarly articles and reports, past President of the National Economic Association, and former editor of The Review of Black Political Economy. He served as Senior Economist to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress and primary researcher and data analyst to the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Danny is a regular economics contributor to CNN and Al Jazeera America, and he frequently testifies before Congressional Committees on federal policies affecting business programs for minority and small companies and public housing programss. Prolific in sponsored research and grantsmanship, he has secured numerous awards from leading foundations, government agencies, public policy organizations, and nonprofit institutions. Through an award from the MacArthur Foundation, he conducted a landmark multicity longitudinal examination of all public housing recipients in Atlanta, Chicago, and New Haven. Current Research Grants:

1. Benefit Cost Analysis of TIA, (Transportation Investment Act), Phase III, Agency/Company: Georgia Department of Transportation, Total Dollar Amount: $185,000, Fall 2018 – Spring 2020

2.  Research and Support to Implement Recommendations of the GDOT Small Business Program Evaluation, Agency/Company: Georgia Department of Transportation, Total Dollar Amount: $180,000, August 2017 – December 2018

3. GDOT Local Beneficiary Analysis of TIA (Transportation Investment Act) Project Expenditures: Phase II, Agency/Company: Georgia Department of Transportation, Total Dollar Amount: $178,748,  July 2016  – April 2018

Danny's research on business dynamics led to improvements in federal procurement policies for minority contractors. Internationally, Dr. Boston provided capacity training to the Nigerian National Assembly of Nigeria and South Africa Free State Legislature on monitoring and evaluating Millennium Development Goals. He was commissioned to create DADD (Database on African Democratic Development) for the African Union. Most recently, he worked with the National Democratic Institute to deliver capacity training on workforce development programs aimed at youth unemployment in six Southern African countries. His honors and awards include Georgia Tech’s “Professor of the Year Award”, the “Ivan Allen College Legacy Award” and the Purple Heart for service as an Army officer and ranger platoon leader during the Viet Nam conflict.  Danny is also a successful entrepreneur, founder, and CEO of EuQuant (an economic research company). In 2012, the company was designated by the Atlanta Tribune as the #2 among black-owned enterprises in the State of Georgia, for its innovation, commitment to community and financial capacity. The Atlanta Business League selected Danny as the "2016 Entrepreneur of the Year" see: www.euquant.com

Interests

Research Fields:
  • Development Economics
  • Economics of the Firm
Geographic
Focuses:
  • Africa (Sub-Saharan)
  • United States
Issues:
  • Inequality and Social Justice
  • Race/Ethnicity
  • Entrepreneurship

Courses

  • ECON-4450: Afric-Amer Entrepreneur
  • INTA-3303: Pol Economy-Development
  • INTA-4740: Sem-Political Economy