Cornell economist Sharon Tennyson, an expert on consumer protections and financial regulation, will become editor of the Journal of Consumer Affairs June 1.

The peer-reviewed journal, founded in 1967 by the American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI), features research and analysis on the social, legal, economic and political influences on consumer interests.

"We live in an era of heightened awareness and concern about consumer issues, making this an especially exciting time to take over as editor," said Tennyson, associate professor of policy analysis and management in the College of Human Ecology. "The journal has become an increasingly influential research outlet in recent years. I see a fantastic opportunity for the journal to publish research that increases policymakers' understanding of consumer behaviors and the implications of the economic, political and regulatory environment for consumers' well-being."

Tennyson, with a Ph.D. in economics in the fields of industrial organization and public finance from Northwestern University, joined Cornell in 1998. Her teaching and research focuses on the impact of government laws and regulation on consumers and financial institutions, particularly the workings of insurance markets. She also studies consumer literacy and attitudes on insurance, consumer information in insurance and prescription drug markets, and the law and economics of women's rights.

Tennyson currently serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Risk and Insurance, Journal of Insurance Regulation, and Insurance Markets and Companies: Analyses and Actuarial Computations.

Wiley-Blackwell publishes the Journal of Consumer Affairs three times a year in print and online on behalf of ACCI. Its 2009 Institute for Scientific Information Impact Factor score, a key index of a journal's reputation in its field of study, places it in the top quarter of business journals.

Ted Boscia is assistant director of communications for the College of Human Ecology.