My research interests are related to research of poverty, risky behavior, vice goods, gambling, payday lending, drug policy, substance abuse, and crime. My current research project explores the impacts recreational marijuana dispensary locations by Wisconsin borders in Michigan and Illinois have affected child welfare, among other outcomes, in Wisconsin.
Currently, I work on a research project for Professor Megan Doherty Bea that investigates the effects of state minimum wage law changes to payday lending and banking. I’m also involved on a project with Professor J. Michael Collins to provide experimental evidence of the effectiveness of Money Matters online financial education program together with UW–Extension.
Affiliations
Institute for Research on Poverty Graduate Fellow

Department
- Consumer Science
Degree Program
- PhD Human Ecology: Consumer Behavior and Family Economics
Education
- MS, International Public Affairs from La Follette School of Public Affairs, UW–Madison
- BA, Political Science and Global Studies, Winona State University
Contact
Phone: 507-450-5399
Email: luosta@wisc.edu
Websites:
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