Richard Hornbeck is an economic historian and applied-micro economist whose research focuses on the historical development of the American economy. He views history as informing why some places and some people have become wealthier while others have remained poorer, which can provide perspective on what factors might drive widespread improvements in living standards. His published research includes articles in the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, and the Journal of Political Economy. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, affiliated with programs on the Development of the American Economy, Development Economics, and Environmental and Energy Economics.