Jamshid Damooei, Ph.D.

Professor and Director, Economics, Executive Director, Center for Economics of Social Issues

Book this person as a speaker:

Email: damooei@callutheran.edu
Phone: (805) 493-3357

Speeches:

• A Critical Analysis of Economic Assistance to Needy Countries

• A Survey of Current Changes (Economic and Political) in Somalia

• Analysis of Social Indicators in Ventura County

• Looking into the Economic Profile of Ventura County: Past, Present and Future Challenges

• Privatization: The Concept and the Promise

• Quality of Life Issues in Ventura County

• The Current State of the Iranian Economy

• Economic Changes in the United States: Recession and Recovery

• Analyzing Somalia's Past and Present Constraints and Opportunities for Creating a Conducive Future Economic Environment

• The Current State of the Iranian Economy

Jamshid Damooei is a Professor of Economics, Director of Economics Program, and the Executive Director of the Center for Economics of Social Issues (CESI) at California Lutheran University. Prior to joining California Lutheran University, Dr. Damooei served as a Senior Economist for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Back in early 1980’s he was the Director General of the Department of Economic Studies and Policies of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance of Iran.

During the last two and a half decades he has become more focused on the economic analyses of social issues and published in professional and popular journals as well as books edited on such subjects/issues. His research endeavors on the topic of investing in children resulted in publication of multiple pioneering studies on the economic impact of Boys & Girls Clubs of America in a number of states and metropolitan areas within the USA. In all of his recent studies on children and youth, there is a strong emphasis on the impact of socio-economic status (SES) of children on their academic performance and social behavior and their opportunity to be successful in their lives as they grow up.

Professor Damooei was the recipient of the President Award for Teaching Excellence of the California Lutheran University in 2006. In 2017 he was recognized by Huffington Post as an Iranian-Americans who have made seminal contributions to their fields of endeavour and he received the Provost Distinguished Scholar Award for 2017-18 academic year.

He served as a consultant for a number of organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs across various states, Public Health, First 5, United Way, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, various foundations within Ventura and LA Counties, and a number of other non-profit organizations. Most recently, he has completed three major studies for the Ventura County Community Foundation. 

His other scholarly work includes a broad spectrum of current social and economic issues such as: project design and evaluation, methods of capacity building during time of crisis, crisis prevention and recovery, causes of economic imbalances, aid coordination, privatization of industries, monetary and financial problems, and economic and social impact assessments of policies or institutional establishments.

While he worked at UNDP and later as an international consultant with UNDP and the United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) he conducted a number of studies on economic issues of Somalia and the Horn of Africa. His studies relate to the economic and political issues of the area faced with political instability and economic crises. He writes op-eds a number of regional newspapers and he is often interviewed by various news media. His views and commentaries on international economic issues are frequently sought by international media such as BBC and other international radios and televisions.