Stephen Lich-Tyler's primary interests are household and family economics, intertemporal behavior, and labor economics. He is currently studying how people learn about the long-term suitability of potential mates in the marriage market, issues of commitment and specialization in joint household decision-making, and how to recover individual preferences from household demands.

Stephen is originally from Texas, where he did his undergraduate and graduate studies. After that, he spent time at the University of Michigan, Copenhagen University, and the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México before coming to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.