Daniel Jacobs

dljacobs.github.io
H 1-301-655-3535
B djacobs@central.uh.edu

To December 26, 2019

Search Committee
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

I am writing in regard to the Economist position. I am enthusiastic about working at the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and I wanted to share why I believe I am a terrific fit
for this position.
As a doctorate candidate in economics at the University of Houston, I have developed my skills
both as a researcher and a teacher. My research is focused on how households acquire financial
literacy and how this decision is related to conditions in the macroeconomy. In my job market
paper, I build and calibrate a life cycle model of financial literacy investment and borrowing
rate uncertainty to a novel dataset. I find that a moderate level of borrowing rate uncertainty
encourages households to acquire financial literacy to better handle potential credit constraints.
My calibrated model is able to evaluate the effects of several popular policies−an interest rate
cap and a financial literacy subsidy−and provide fruitful policy proposals. The implications
from this research are of great value to public policy aimed at ameliorating the effects of low
financial literacy and its related wealth inequality.
My research uses the most modern techniques in structural estimation, computer simulation
and econometrics and in my job market paper, I apply these skills to a dataset constructed
from a variety of sources. My research plan is to extend my work to study how individuals
utilize alternative financial services (AFS) when under financial distress and how financial
literacy may influence this decision or may be acquired when operating in informal credit
markets. Financial literacy is not learned once and for all but rather, requires households to
“update" their financial knowledge to utilize new financial innovations. I would also like to
extend my work to study the relationship between financial literacy and adoption of new
financial innovations such as peer-to-peer (P2P) lending and cryptocurrency.
I have taught five semesters of undergraduate economics and proven myself to be an effective
teacher. I have experience teaching more specialized courses (intermediate macroeconomics) as
well introductory economics courses. In 2018, I was awarded my department’s exceptional
teacher award based on my teaching evaluations, which regularly scored above the economics
department and the school’s average.
I will be attending ASSA conference in San Diego from January 2nd to January 5th, 2020. I
am available for a Skype interview at the convenience of the search committee. If you would
like to reach me, my phone number is 301-655-3535 and my email is djacobs@central.uh.edu.

Sincerely,

Daniel Jacobs