Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research
Ph.D. Students
Linnea Endersby
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: lendersb@vols.utk.edu
Fourth year
A149 BCBER, Cherokee Mills
Fields of Interest: education economics, health economics
Linnea Endersby graduated from Seton Hall University with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Lucas Chaves Gurgel
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: lchavesg@vols.utk.edu
Third year
A152 BCBER, Cherokee Mills
Fields of Interest: health economics, family economics
Lucas Chaves Gurgel is from Brazil. He graduated in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Ceara. After working in the field for a while, he obtained a master’s degree in economics at the same university. He is married and is the proud father of one boy and three girls. Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his family, reading and surfing.
Alannah Shute
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: ashute@vols.utk.edu
Fifth year
A149 BCBER, Cherokee Mills
Fields of Interest: applied microeconomics, state/local public finance
Alannah Shute is an applied microeconomist focused on policy-relevant issues in public finance. Her research focuses on improving the equity and efficiency of state and local taxes, and her dissertation addresses various topics in this area, including the effect of an information nudge on homestead exemption take-up rates and the impact of improved destination-based taxation on cross-border shopping. Shute’s job market paper analyzes the effect of a major hurricane on residential property taxes in New York City. In addition to her academic research experience, Shute has worked as a research assistant at a think tank and a nonprofit consulting firm and has taught introductory economics courses.
Personal website: https://www.alannahshute.com/
Thomas Verville
Graduate Research Assistant
Email: tvervill@vols.utk.edu
Fourth year
A153 BCBER, Cherokee Mills
Fields of Interest: tax policy impact, fair division mechanisms, game theory
Thomas Verville is a Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee. His academic journey began at Kalamazoo College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in economics. After working for a few years, he completed his master’s degree in applied economics at Western Michigan University.
In his free time, Thomas enjoys golfing and playing guitar. Most of his time is spent either playing fetch with his dog or pampering his two cats.