He has a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University and a B.A. in economics from Brigham Young University. At Purdue, he teaches courses in labor economics, public economics, and econometrics. His research has focused on taxation, labor supply, fertility, sustainability, and food-assistance programs. Professor Mumford has received research grants from the Institute for Research on Poverty, the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. In 2010 he was awarded the John and Mary Willis Young Faculty Scholar Award for research excellence. His research has been published in prestigious academic journals including the American Economic Review, the Review of Economics and Statistics, and the Journal of Econometrics.