Robert J. Town

Robert J. Town is the James L. and Nancy Powell Centennial Professor of American Economic Principles at the University of Texas-Austin, Department of Economics. Professor Town is an economist with over 30 years of experience in applied research, focusing on health economics, industrial organization, and applied econometrics. His work concentrates on the intersection of government policy and provider and insurer competition in the health care marketplaces.

Professor Town is currently working on several projects including studies of the role of competition in Medicare Part D and the Medicare Advantage programs, the impact of price transparency, and appropriate methodological approaches to merger retrospectives. In addition to his academic career, Professor Town was a staff economist with the US Department of Justice, Antitrust Division from 1990–1996.

Professor Town currently teaches two PhD courses and has advised dozens of PhD students over his career and currently actively advises several students in the economics department. He is also an associate editor at the American Economic Journal – Economic Policy.

Professor Town has served as an economic expert for US Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, several states, and private parties.

Professor Town has also consulted with the US Department of Justice on analysis of the competitive effects of several airline mergers and transactions including United/US Airways (2001), Delta/Northwest (2008), United/Continental (2010), and American/US Airways (2013).