What's Their Secret

By Chris Chan     8/31/11 7:00pm

There is hardly a student that graduates from Rice without having heard of Professor James Brown's name.  As an esteemed economics professor boasting a long history of receiving the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching four out of the last 10 years, Jim Brown is widely known throughout campus for his insightful and challenging core economics courses like ECON 201 and 301, winning consistent accolades from the student masses.

Born in the 1950s, Brown grew up in Redlands, a small college town 60 miles east of Los Angeles where he remembers spending much more time outdoors than in Houston.  

His family valued education and his father, who worked at the local university, had a Ph.D. in political science, likely influencing his own interests in the subject.

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Growing up during the Vietnam War and Civil Rights era, he had always been interested in public policy, a common discussion topic within his family.  He describes it at the time as: "you can't watch the news and not talk about it."  

In college, Brown studied political science and sociology, which changed when he came across his first economics class and most importantly, a book by Gary Becker, famed American economist describing real-world applications of the study.  

His passion for economics was sealed when he discovered that "economics gives you the tools to think for yourself."

He recalls at the time, like most other ambitious adolescents, that he wanted to "change the world" and economics was the empowering vehicle to endless possibilities.  

Brown explained, what makes him love teaching is not only the sight of illuminating light bulbs in the faces of students who finally grasp an ethereal theory, but also knowing that students can "come to their own opinions and figure out for themselves."

In the ideal classroom, Brown envisions a one-on-one tutorial, an objective that he tries to realize by offering more of his time to students and questions.  

His students all have his cellphone number, and commonly known facts about the professor such as his amazing recollection of names, only serve to reassure his dedication to his students and love for teaching.  Elsewhere on campus, Brown is also an Associate of Jones College and father of three graduated Rice Jonesians.  

To the freshmen this year at Rice, he is keen to offer some advice:  Don't rush.  He laments that students often ask too few questions in fear of being the only one confused.  

Brown also adverted that life is not a race — the planned path today may not be the right choice.  He quotes Christopher Walken in The Wedding Crashers, "When you know what you want, you know what you want."

"What's Their Secret?" is a weekly feature that highlights a faculty member who has had a significant impact on Rice students.

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