Darl Lewis

Game Theory. Data Science. Biology. Engineering.

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About Me

I am a game theorist, statistician, biophysicist, and engineer specializing in the use of formal and quantitative methods to analyze complex systems. My research and teaching have varied widely, often focusing on the intersections of these diverse fields. I graduated from the California Institute of Technology in 2011 and completed my doctorate at Princeton University in 2018. I currently live in St. Louis, MO.

Education

Washington University in St. Louis, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, 2018-2019, Political Science.

Princeton University, M.A., 2013, Ph.D., 2018,, Politics.

California Institute of Technology, B.S., 2011, Applied Physics, Political Science, and Aerospace.

Resume

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Current Projects

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Local Externalities and Federal Policy-Making

Local policies often have effects beyond the bounds of the implementing jurisdictions. These externalities can impose heavy costs on surrounding districts. As a result, there are often incentives for serveral districts to impose a uniform national policy that preempts local discretion and mitigate these externalities. This is especially true in economic and environmental matters.

Policy-Making with Outside Options

In Political Science, most models assume that policies apply uniformly across the population. However, there are many types of policies that do not affect everyone equally. Some policies are targeted towards particular populations on the basis of fixed characteristics and still more that affect only those individuals that choose to engage in certain behaviors. Examples of such polies are those that relate to driving, political activity, and business activity.

Committee Agenda Setting

While there is a wide literature on committee decision-making processes, the manner in which committees determine their agendas is less-studied. When there is an elective agenda, committee members may differ on which matters to take up, leading to conflict prior to the final decision-making stage.

Finance and Educational Outcomes

The structure of educational markets varies from the structur of many traditional markets due to the unique demands of several actors. Rather than a simple transaction between students and schools, the market for education is a multi-sided one in which students, schools, employers, and governments interact together.

Media Markets and Policital Waves

Since the 1990s, political campaigns in the United States have become increasingly nationalized. As a result, national issues and national sentiments are becoming increasingly important in local races. This introduces new challenges to our understanding of local campaigns and the effects of media coverage.

Publications

"To Elect or to Appoint? Bias, Information, and Responsiveness of Bureaucrats and Politicians." with Matias Iaryczower and Matthew Shum. Journal of Public Economics 97 (2013): 230-244.

Teaching

Health Politics: Seminar on the politics of health and healthcare, including related issues such as genetically modified organisms and gene patenting.

The Politics of Federalism: Seminar focusing on the theoretical and empiral foundations of federalism from both American and comparative perspectives.

American Politics and Government: Seminar on the American political system, with emphasis on the development of modern institutions.

Introduction to Data Science: Data science course introducing statistics, machine learning, and statistical computing from theoretical and applied perspectives.

Quantitative Principles in Cell and Molecular Biology: Quantitative biology lecture and lab covering central concepts in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology with emphasis on underlying physical and engineering principles.

Statistics for Social Science: Quantitative methods course providing an introduction to probability and statistics with applications in public policy.

Modern Genetics and Public Policy: Course examining modern genetics' implications for public policy focusing on health, law, consumer products, and criminal justice.

Advanced Tools for LaTeX: Seminar on advanced techniques for preparing LaTeX documents in the natural and social sciences.

Quantitative Analysis I: Probability and statistics course focused on theoretical foundations of statistical inference and analyses.

Formal Political Analysis I: Seminar providing a rigorous introduction to choice theory, social choice, and non-cooperative games.

American Electoral Politics and Party Strategy: Seminar in American political behavior, with a focus on party politics and elections.

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Hobbies

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Minerals

I maintain a growing collection of rocks and minerals. While primarily focusing on my own ideosyncratic prefernces, it includes a many fluorescent minerals, Uranium-based minerals, and several meteor fragments.

Painting

I occasionally put my painting skills to the test with various projects, primarily using acrylics, but varying in substrate.

Hiking and Mountaineering

When the opportunity arises, I enjoy spending time in the backcountry, whether climbing mountains in the summer or seeking out frozen waterfalls in the winter.

History and Genealogy

I am particularly interested in modern history, as well as my own genealogy. I am especially focused on learning about my family's history in the Ozarks and surrounding regions over the past several hundred years.

Baseball

There is nothing like an afternoon at the ballpark. Often on road trips, you will find me making spur-of-the-moment stops at the local stadium to catch a home game. Minor league games are particularly good. Playing softball is fun too!

Address

6623 Washington Ave. #2BS
University City, MO 63130

Email

glewis@alumni.princeton.edu

Phone

+1 (626) 372.3753