Notre Dame economist new St Louis Fed research top

WASHINGTON, June 5 (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has named Christopher Waller, an economics professor from Notre Dame University, as its new head of research.

Waller, who has served as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington and at the St. Louis and Cleveland Federal Reserves, replaces Robert Rasche, who has become a special policy advisor to bank president James Bullard.

Waller's new position is noted on the St. Louis Fed's website but has not yet been formally announced. Waller's Notre Dame website lists his areas of expertise as monetary theory, dollarization and the political economy of central banking.

(Reporting by Alister Bull; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) ((Washington newsroom, +1-202-354-5820, email: alister.bull@thomsonreuters.com))