Patrick Zimmer is a doctoral student in economics at the University of California, Davis, affiliated with the Center for Poverty and Inequality Research. He primarily studies human capital development, focusing on how non-classroom factors—such as extracurricular activities, families, and social networks—enhance social and emotional skills. His dissertation research investigates the skill returns from high school extracurricular participation. Additionally, his ongoing work explores the effects of divorce on children’s academic and behavioral outcomes, as well as the role of social networks in developing social skills. Zimmer earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame.