Dr. George William Davis
Title
- Assistant Professor
Contact Information
gwd53@msstate.edu
Office: 662-325-0128
Lloyd-Ricks-Watson Bldg, Rm 355
Overview
Biography
Dr. Will Davis joined the Department of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University in August 2020. He earned both his master’s degree and Ph.D. in Economics from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Dr. Davis is a health economist and applied econometrician whose work sits at the intersection of food security, government policy, and public health, evaluating how policies such as universal free school meals, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and local access to healthcare and food influence health outcomes.
His research also focuses on advanced methodological approaches for measuring latent traits using Bayesian statistical models, including household food security, area-level health, and country-level human development. Dr. Davis has led and collaborated on projects with partners like the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the USDA Economic Research Service, the Metro Atlanta Policy Lab for Education, and more. His peer-reviewed research has appeared in leading journals, including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Health Economics, and the Journal of Development Economics.
In addition to his research, Dr. Davis works extensively in data science and artificial intelligence. He serves as Chair of the University Data Science Committee at Mississippi State University and as a member of the University’s Generative AI Committee.
Education
- Georgia State University, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Economics
- Georgia State University, Master of Arts (M.A.) , Economics
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Bachelor of Science (B.S.) , Economics
Research/Extension Interests
Government nutrition assistance programs
Adult and child health
Food security
Econometrics
Bayesian statistical measurement
Latent trait measurement
Public health
Rural development
Teaching Interests
Agricultural economics
Microeconomics
Health economics
Econometrics
Quantitative methods
Websites
Publications
| Year | Publications |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Davis, G., Xilau, J., Gregory, C., Tchernis, R. 2025. A Flexible Model of Food Security: Estimation and Implications for Prediction. American Journal of Agricultural Economics |
| 2025 | Davis, G., Jordan, J., Canales Medina, D., Kim, A., Buys, D. R. 2025. Understanding the Relationship between Broadband Access, Online Food Purchasing, and Food Security during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from Mississippi. Frontiers in Nutrtion |
| 2025 | Davis, G., Kim, A. 2025. Understanding the Relationship between Broadband Access and Telehealth Utilization” Evidence from Mississippi. Telemedicine and e-Health |
| 2024 | Giscombe, S., Canales, E., Davis, G., Kim, A., Buys, D. 2024. Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables and the Role of the Food Environment. Journal of Food Distribution Research 55(2):23–45. |
| 2023 | Davis, G., Kreisman, D., Musaddiq, T. 2023. The effect of universal free school meals on child BMI. Education Finance and Policy Download |
| 2023 | Sung, J., Davis, G., Qiu, Q. 2023. The Effects of COVID-19 Lockdown on Bodyweight Status and Lifestyle Behaviors of US Adults. The Southern Economic Journal |
| 2022 | Meadowcroft, D., Davis, G. 2022. Understanding the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facility Operations and Patient Success: Evidence from Mississippi. Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment Download |
| 2021 | Davis, G., Gordan, A., Tchernis, R. 2021. Measuring the Spatial Distribution of Health Rankings in the United States. Health Economics 30(11):2921-2936. Download |
| 2021 | Sung, J., Qiu, Q., Davis, G., Tchernis, R. 2021. Design and Application of an Area-Level Suicide Risk Index with Spatial Correlation. Social Indicators Research 161:77-104. Download |
| 2018 | Qiu, Q., Sung, J., Davis, G., Tchernis, R. 2018. Using Spatial Factor Analysis to Measure Human Development. Journal of Development Economics 132:130-149. Download |
Extension Publications
| Year | Publications |
|---|
Graduate Students
- Adam Nathan
- Drew Smith
- Hannah Cooley
- Shelby Sledge
- Allyson Bise
- John Mullins
Awards & Honors
- Research Fellow
Social Science Research Fellow
Society Memberships
- Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
- Agricultural and Applied Economics Assoiciation
- American Society for Health Economics
- Southern Agricultural Economics Association
- Southern Economic Association
- The American Society of Health Economists
