Rose Olfert is a professor (emerita) in the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (65%) and in the Department of Bioresource, Policy, Business and Economics in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources (35%).

Olfert’s research and teaching interests are in regional economics, rural development and the role of public policy in regional/rural restructuring and growth. Although most of her rural development work focuses on North America she is also working with international collaborators in Chile, Peru and the Netherlands. Her research and publications focus on the spatial location and re-location of economic activity, including the determinants and impacts. She has published on topics including off-farm employment, occupational segregation, urbanization trends and rural community evolution, cities as engines of growth, location choices of professionals, State Trading Enterprise impacts on International trade, co-ops and credit unions, the changing role of distance, migration patterns, equalization payments and commuting patterns and their determinants. Olfert’s current research is focused on the distinction between people-based and place-based public policy and the conditions under which place-based policy may be appropriate.

Download M. Rose Olfert's abridged CV.

Designations

• MSc in Agricultural Economics, University of Saskatchewan
• BA (High Honours) in Economics, University of Saskatchewan

Recent Awards

• Saskatchewan Business Magazine‘s Woman of Influence 2006

Research Grants

• Co-Applicant. (David Natcher PI). “The Northern Plainsmen Revisited: Adaptive Strategies and Agrarian Life in the 21st Century.” SSHRC Insight Development Grant, $75,000, 2013-2015.
• Co-Applicant. (Mary Blackstone, U of R-Theatre, PI). “Understanding the Arts Ecology of Saskatchewan.” SSHRC Partnership Development Grant, $200,000, 2013-2016. http://www2.uregina.ca/spar/
• Principal Investigator/Applicant. "Economic Outcomes of Resource Dependent Rural Communities: Travel Assistance", University of Saskatchewan Research Acceleration Program, 2009, $4,000.
• Principal Investigator/Application. "Economic Outcomes of Resource Dependent Rural Communities with Special Attention to Aboriginal Communities." International Development Research Centre, via RIMISP, Santiago, Chile. 2009. $24,500.
• Principal Investigator/Application. "Economic Outcomes of Resource Dependent Rural Communities with Special Attention to Aboriginal Communities." International Development Research Centre, via Latin America-Canada Research Exchange Grant (LACREG) from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. 2009. $9,180.
• Co-Applicant. "Measuring the Economic Spillover of Publicly Funded Research in Northern Canada." With David Natcher (PI), SSHRC. 2009-2010. $79,727.
• Co-applicant. "Mapping the Rural-Urban Interface: Partnerships for Sustainable Infrastructure Development" Infrastructure Canada Contribution, SSHRC peer-reviewed. Mark Partridge, Applicant. 2006-2009, $250,000.
• Co-applicant. "Adapting to New Environments: Agriculture and Rural Economies in the 21st Century." SSHRC-Knowledge Impact on Society. Murray Fulton, Applicant. 2006-2009, $200,000.
• Co-applicant. "Linking, Learning, Leveraging: Social Enterprises, Knowledgeable Economies, and Sustainable Communities." SSHRC-Social Economy Suite. Lou Hammond-Ketilson, Applicant. $1.75m, 2006-2011.
• Collaborator "Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Innovation Network." 2005-2007, $750,000.
• Co-applicant. "Mapping the Rural-Urban Interface: Partnerships for Sustainable Infrastructure Development" Infrastructure Canada Contribution, SSHRC peer-reviewed. Mark Partridge, Applicant. 2006-2009, $250,000.
• Co-applicant. "Adapting to New Environments: Agriculture and Rural Economies in the 21st Century." SSHRC-Knowledge Impact on Society. Murray Fulton, Applicant. 2006-2009, $200,000.
• Co-applicant. "Linking, Learning, Leveraging: Social Enterprises, Knowledgeable Economies, and Sustainable Communities." SSHRC-Social Economy Suite. Lou Hammond-Ketilson, Applicant. 2006-2011, $1.75m.

Refereed Journals

• Ferguson, Shon and Margaret Rose Olfert. 2015. Competitive Pressure and Technology Adoption: Evidence from a Policy Reform in Western Canada. American Journal of Agricultural Economics  http://ajae.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/aav018?ijkey=lAWMmzzjX4uUGvF&keytype=ref
• Mou, Haizhen and M. Rose Olfert. 2015. Inter-provincial Migration Intentions of Family Physicians in Canada: The Roles of Income and Community Characteristics. Healthcare Policy. Accepted August 2015. 
• Ampofo-Addo, Obeyaa, Haizhen Mou, Rose Olfert, Donna Goodridge, 2015. Location decisions of family physicians in Saskatchewan: What really matters? Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine. Accepted September 2015.
• Modrego, Felix, Philip McCann; William E Foster; M. Rose Olfert. 2015. Regional Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Chile: A Knowledge Matching Approach. Small Business Economics 44(3): 685-703.
• Olfert, M. Rose, Mark Partridge, Julio Berdegué, J. Escobal, B. Jara, F. Modrego. 2014. Places for Place-Based Policies. Development Policy Review 32(1): 5-32.
• Modrego, Felix, Philip McCann; William E Foster; M. Rose Olfert. 2014. Market Potential and the Geography of Entrepreneurial Activity in Chile. Spatial Economic Analysis. DOI: 10.1080/17421772.2014.930165.
• Carr, Katrina, David C. Natcher and M. Rose Olfert. 2013. Measuring the Local Economic Impact of Publically Funded Northern Research in Canada. Polar Geography 36(4): 291-304.
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, M. Rose Olfert, Ying Tan. 2013. When Spatial Equilibrium Fails: Is Place-Based Policy Second Best? Regional Studies DOI:10.1080/00343404.2013.837999 Published online: 09 Oct 2013.
• Lashley, Phillip and M. Rose Olfert. 2013. Off-Reserve Employment Options for Reserve Populations in Canada. Submitted to Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development 8(2): 112-127.
• Natcher, David C., M. Rose Olfert, Albert Boaitey, and Tom Allen. 2013. Political Stability and the Well-Being of First Nations in Saskatchewan: Implications for the Proposed First Nations Elections Act. Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development 8(2): 97-110.
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Ying Tan and M. Rose Olfert. U.S. Regional Poverty Post-2000: The Lost Decade. Economic Development Quarterly, Accepted October 4, 2013.
• Mavenga, Fortunate and M. Rose Olfert. The Role of Credit Unions in Rural Communities in Canada. Journal of Rural Cooperatives 40(1): 1-28.
• Fallah, Belal, Mark D. Partridge and M. Rose Olfert. 2011. “Uncertain Economic Growth and Sprawl:  Evidence from a Stochastic Growth Approach.” Annals of Regional Science 49: 589-617.
• Mark D. Partridge, Dan S. Rickman, M. Rose Olfert and Kamar Ali. 2012. Dwindling U.S. Internal Migration: Evidence of Spatial Equilibrium? Regional Science and Urban Economics 42(1-2): 375-388.
• Olfert, M. Rose and Mark D. Partridge. 2011. “Creating the Cultural Community: Ethnic Diversity vs. Agglomeration.” Spatial Economic Analysis 6(1): 25-55.
• Olfert, M. Rose, Murray Jelinski, Dimitrios Zikos, John Campbell. 2011. "Human Capital Drift up the Urban Hierarchy: An Example from Western Canada." Annals of Regional Science First published online My 25, 2011. DOI: 10.1007/s00168-011-0448-2.
• Mark D. Partridge, Mark D. and M. Rose Olfert. 2011. The Winners' Choice: Sustainable Economic Strategies for Mega Rural-Urban Regions. Featured Article, Applied Economic Perspectives 33(2): 143-178.
• Fallah, Belal N, Mark D. Partridge and M. Rose Olfert. 2011. "New Economic Geography and U.S. Metropolitan Wage Inequality" Journal of Economic Geography 11(5): 865-895.
• Ali, Kamar, M. Rose Olfert and Mark D. Partridge. 2011. "Urban Footprints in Rural Canada: Employment Spillovers by City Size." Regional Studies 45(2): 239-260.
• Faggian, Alessandra, M. Rose Olfert and Mark D. Partridge. Forthcoming. "Inferring Regional Well-being from Individual Revealed Preferences: the ‘voting with your feet’ approach. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 5(1): 163-180.
• Pirness, Arvin, M. Rose Olfert, Mark D. Partridge and W. H. Furtan. Forthcoming. “Assessing the Impact of State Trading Enterprises.” International Economic Journal. Accepted April 1, 2011. First published online August 24, 2011. DOI:10.1080/10168737.2011.578145
• Fallah, Belal, Mark D. Partridge and M. Rose Olfert. Forthcoming. “Uncertain Economic Growth and Sprawl: Evidence from a Stochastic Growth Approach.” Annals of Regional Science. Online First™, 2 August 2011. DOI: 10.1007/s00168-011-0466-0
• Fallah, Belal N, Mark D. Partridge and M. Rose Olfert. 2010. "Urban Sprawl and Productivity: Evidence from U.S. Metropolitan Areas." Papers in Regional Science 90(3): 451-472.
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, M. Rose Olfert. 2010. Recent Spatial Growth Dynamics in Wages and Housing Costs: Proximity to Urban Production Externalities and Consumer Amenities. Regional Studies and Urban Economics 40(6): 440-452
• Olfert, M. Rose and Mark D. Partridge. 2010."Introduction: Best Practices in 21^st Century Rural Development and Policy." Growth and Change 41(2): 147-164.
• Partridge, Mark D., Md Kamar Ali, M. Rose Olfert. 2010. "Rural-to-Urban Commuting: Three Degrees of Integration." Growth and Change 41(2): 303-335.
• Midmore, Peter, Mark D. Partridge, M. Rose Olfert and Kamar Ali. 2010. The Evaluation of Rural Development Policy: Macro and Micro Perspectives. Eurochoices 9 (1):24-29.
• Partridge, Mark D., M. Rose Olfert and Kamar Ali. 2009. "Towards a Rural Development Policy: Lessons from the United States and Canada." Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy 39(2): 109-125 Berdegué, Julio, F. Modrego, E. Ramirez and M. R. Olfert. 2009. "Balancing Geography: New insights into rural development in Latin America." Horizons 10(4): 69-72.
• Mark D. Partridge, Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, M. Rose Olfert. 2009. Do New Economic Geography agglomeration shadows underlie current population dynamics across the urban hierarchy? Papers in Regional Science 88(2): 445-466
• Kangayi, Chipo, M., Rose Olfert and Mark D. Partridge. 2009. "Co-operatives and Rural Community Population Growth: Evidence from a Canadian Study." Review of Regional Studies, 39: 49-71.
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, and M. Rose Olfert. 2009. "Do New Economic Geography Agglomeration Shadows Underlie Current Population Dynamics across the Urban Hierarchy?" Papers in Regional Science 88(2): 445-466.
• Bakhshi, Samira, Mohammad Shakeri M. Rose Olfert Mark D. Partridge, and Simon Weseen. 2009. "Do Local Residents Value Federal Transfers: Evidence from the Canadian Federation?" Public Finance Review 37(3): 235-268
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, and M. Rose Olfert. 2009. "Agglomeration Spillovers and Wage and Housing Cost Gradients across the Urban Hierarchy." Journal of International Economics. 78(1): 126-140
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, and M. Rose Olfert. 2008. "Lost in Space: Population Growth in the American Hinterlands and Small Cities." Journal of Economic Geography 8(6): 727-757
• Olfert, M. Rose and Simon Weseen. 2008. "Cultural Policy in Saskatchewan." Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, Public Policy Paper 54
• Partridge, Mark D., Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali, and M. Rose Olfert. 2008. "Employment Growth in the American Urban Hierarchy: Long Live Distance" B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics: Contributions to Macroeconomics 8(1) pp. na06.
• Partridge, Mark, Dan Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. 2008. "The Geographic Diversity of U.S. Nonmetropolitan Growth Dynamics: A Geographically Weighted Regression Approach" Land Economics 84(2): 241-266
• Partridge, Mark, Kamar Ali, and M. Rose Olfert. 2007. "Can Geographically Weighted Regressions Improve Regional Analysis and Policy-making?" International Regional Science Review 30(3): 300-309.
• Partridge, Mark, Dan S. Rickman, Kamar Ali and M. Rose Olfert. 2007. "The Landscape of Urban Influence on U.S. County Job Growth." Review of Agricultural Economics 29(3): 381-89
• Olfert, M. Rose and Simon Weseen. 2007. "Assessing the Viability of an Ethanol Industry in Saskatchewan." Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, Public Policy Paper 48, 23 pp
• Ferguson, Mark, Kamar Ali, M. Rose Olfert and Mark Partridge. 2007. “Voting with their Feet: Jobs vs. Amenities.” Growth and Change 38(1): 77-110
• Partridge, Mark, Ray Bollman, M. Rose Olfert. 2007. “Riding the Wave of Urban Growth in the Countryside: Spread, Backwash, or Stagnation.” Land Economics 83(2): 128-52
• Partridge, Mark, M. Rose Olfert, and Alessandro Alasia. 2007. “Canadian Cities as Regional Engines of Growth: Agglomeration and Amenities.” Canadian Journal of Economics 40(1): 39-68.
• Olfert, M. Rose and Diane Moebis. 2007. “The Spatial Economy of Gender-based Occupational Segregation.”The Review of Regional Studies 36(1): 44-62
• C.N. Nagy, M.R. Olfert and J. Skotheim. 2005. Targeting Business Investment in Rural Communities. The Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy (forthcoming)

Refereed Book Chapters

• Olfert, M. Rose and Iryna Lobach. 2014. Economic Integration Challenges: Aboriginal Population in Saskatchewan, Canada. In The Economics of Cultural Diversity. Edward Elgar. Accepted June 2014.
• Betz, Michael R., M. Rose Olfert, Mark D. Partridge. 2014. Canada’s Multiculturalism and Domestic Migration. InThe Economics of Cultural Diversity. Edward Elgar. Accepted June 2014.
• Olfert, M. Rose and David Natcher. “Social Capital and Place-Based Policy: Aboriginal Community Case Study in Canada.” Social Capital and Rural Development in the Knowledge Society, editors: Kiyoshi Kobayashi and Hans Westlund, will be published on Edward Elgar 2013. Accepted June 2012.
• Partridge, Mark D. and M. Rose Olfert, 2009. "North American Rural-Urban Evolution and Government Policy Response," in Globalization and the Rural-Urban Divide ed. M Gopinath and H. Kim. Seoul: Seoul National University Press
• Jack C. Stabler and M. Rose Olfert, 2009. One Hundred Years of Evolution in the Rural Economy. In Jene Porter et. al. eds. Perspectives of Saskatchewan 1905-2005. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press
• Jack C. Stabler and M. Rose Olfert, 2005. The Economic Structure of Saskatchewan's Communities. InEncyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center
• M. Rose Olfert, 2005. Farming in Saskatchewan. In Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center Jack C. Stabler and M. Rose Olfert, 2002. Saskatchewan Communities in the 21^st Century: From Places to Regions. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina.

Invited Lectures Outside U of S and Invited Conference Presentations:

• “The Role of Saskatchewan's Rural Communities in the Global Economy.” Co-operative Development Initiative Work Planning Session, Saskatoon, SK, March 9-10, 2014.
• “The Role of Cultural Diversity in Canadian Domestic Migration Choices,” (presented by co-author Mark D. Partridge). Presented at: INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP E PLURIBUS PROSPERITAS: The economics of cultural diversity. Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam, NL, April 15-16, 2013.
• “Economic Integration of the Aboriginal Population in Saskatchewan Canada.” Presented at: INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP E PLURIBUS PROSPERITAS: The economics of cultural diversity. Tinbergen Institute, Amsterdam, NL, April 15-16, 2013.

Presentations at Conferences (Non‑Invited):

• “Evidence of Spatial Equilibration and the Need for Place-Based Policy.” Presented at Workshop “A new landscape for regional entrepreneurship,” Antofagasta, Chile, April 23-24, 2014.
• “Adaptation in a Resource-Based Economy: Southwest Saskatchewan.” Presentation to the Southern Regional Science Association Annual Meetings, San Antonio, Texas, March 27-30, 2014.
• “Cultural Diversity and Canadian Domestic Migration Choices.” Western Regional Science Association 53^rdAnnual Meeting, San Diego, California, February 16-19, 2014
• “The Role of Co-ops and Credit Unions in Rural Community Viability.” Centre for the Study of Co-operatives Seminar Series 2013-14, Saskatoon, SK. November 25, 2013.
• “Competitive Pressure and Technology Adoption: Evidence from Policy Reform in W. Canada.” Presented at 52^nd Southern Regional Science Assoc. Mtgs., Washington, DC, Apr. 4-6, 2013.
• “When is Place-Based Policy Appropriate?” Public Lecture Series, Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, Sept. 19, 2012.
• “When Spatial Equilibrium Fails: Is Place-Based Policy Second-Best?” Presented at North American Regional Science Association annual meetings, November 8, 2012.

• Location choices of professionals
• Spatial distribution of culture occupations
• Economic outcomes for resource dependent rural communities: Canada and latin America
• Rural-urban interface: infrastructure and governance challenges
• Migration versus commuting: variations in rural-urban interdependencies
• The role of social economy enterprises in rural community viability
• Assessing the impact of state trading enterprises
• Rural policies in north America: missing the mark
• Urban sprawl and uncertainty, productivity, and inequality