After almost 20 years in banking and lending, Bill Watkins returned to graduate school in 1992. He received his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California Santa Barbara in 1998. After graduation, Bill worked as an economist at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington D.C.
Bill was invited back to the University of California Santa Barbara to run the Economic Forecast Project. During his tenure, from January 2000 through May 2009, Bill expanded the project’s publications, geographic scope, and reputation.
Bill joined the California Lutheran University in June 2009 to open the Center for Economic Research and Forecasting and create an economics Masters of Science program centered on forecasting and applied research.
Bill has been published in academic journals, traditional media, and new media. He has been interviewed and quoted by various media worldwide. When not working, Bill enjoys his family, the outdoors, music, and photography.
