Sharyn O'Halloran is the George Blumenthal Professor of Political Economy and Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in New York City A political scientist and economist by training, O’Halloran has written extensively on issues related to the political economy of international trade and finance, regulation and institutional reform, economic growth and democratic transitions, and the political representation of minorities.    O’Halloran received a BA degree in economics and political science from University of California San Diego. O’Halloran then went on to receive her MA and PhD, also from University of California San Diego. Her work focuses on formal and quantitative methods and their application to politics, economics, and public policy.