Research

Main Research Areas are

• Behavioral Economics, Experimental Economics, and Game Theory

  Behavioral and Experimental Economics examines how people actually make decisions in economic settings, often departing from standard rational models. Research spans social preferences, beliefs and information processing, decision-making under risk and uncertainty, market and institutional behavior, learning and adaptation, identity and social norms, and behavioral public policy. PhD students can design laboratory or field experiments, develop theory-driven interventions, improve experimental methods, and generate evidence to inform economic policy and practice.

• Development

  Research in this area focuses on the microeconomic determinants of human development, with particular attention to education, conflict, child and adolescent well-being, and gender-based violence. Using applied microeconometric methods and field-based evidence (through RCTs),  research work in this area seeks to understand how policies and the environment shape outcomes for individuals and communities in low- and middle-income countries.

• Econometrics

  Econometrics is dedicated to the development and to the application of mathematical and statistical methods to economics and finance. Fields include the development and estimation of mathematical models for the description of the economy and for the validation of economic theories, for the evaluation of economic policies and for the prediction of economic dynamics, for the purpose forecasting and to assist in decision making. Applications of Econometrics are present in all the research areas. Methodologies include panel data and non-linear models for policy evaluation; financial econometrics, including volatility modelling; forecasting. Theoretical contributions include time series and change-point analysis.

• Environmental and Energy Economics
  The research area in Energy and Environmental Economics explores the economic dimensions of energy systems, natural resource use, and environmental challenges, with a focus on their implications for policy, sustainability, and technological change. Research in this field addresses topics such as energy production and consumption, markets for energy commodities and derivatives, the design and evaluation of environmental policies, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the management of renewable and non-renewable resources. Scholars combine theoretical and empirical approaches—ranging from econometric analysis and simulation modeling to cost-benefit assessment and equilibrium modeling—to study the interactions between energy, the environment, and the broader economy.
• Industrial Organization
  Industrial Organization examines how firms interact within markets, analyzing pricing strategies, market structure, and competitive behavior. The field explores how companies exercise market power, set prices in dynamic environments, and respond to regulation. Industrial organization also addresses the welfare implications of market structure, studying how regulations, subsidies, trade policies, and technological spillovers influence firm behavior, consumer prices, competitive dynamics and overall economic efficiency across different sectors.  

  Research in this area investigates strategic pricing across diverse industries, from airlines and hotels to retail gasoline, examining phenomena such as price discrimination, personalized pricing, and the competitive effects of market concentration. Key themes include the relationship between firm size and market power, the role of product differentiation and quality standards in shaping competition, and how multinational firms’ strategic decisions affect both domestic and international markets. 
• Innovation Economics and Regional Economics

  Innovation Economics studies the drivers, processes, and economic impacts of generating and diffusing new ideas and knowledge. It focuses on how economic actors and institutional factors influence the creation and adoption of innovations. Key areas include technological change, R&D investment, patents, and how innovation fosters long-run economic growth and productivity improvements. Regional Economics studies the spatial organization of economic activity, analyzing how location and distance affect economic behavior, growth, and disparities across geographical areas. The field examines concepts like agglomeration economies, industrial clustering, and knowledge spillovers. It also addresses policies for reducing regional inequality and explores urban economic issues like smart cities.

• International Economics and Migration

  The international Economics and Migration group studies how international trade and migration shape firms, labour markets, and economic performance. Their work spans trade in goods and services, multinational production, and the determinants and consequences of migration and refugee movements, with a focus on labour-market integration and policy evaluation.

• Labor and Education Economics

  Labor and Education Economics examines how individuals acquire skills, make educational, labor supply and occupational choices, and how firms shape labor demand and wage structures. Research in this area studies the interactions between workers, firms, and institutions in determining employment, productivity, and inequality in the labor market. It combines theoretical and empirical approaches to understand human capital formation and labor market dynamics. In empirical research, particular attention is given to the evaluation of education, training, and labor market policies. The goal is to inform effective interventions that enhance opportunity, efficiency, and social welfare.

• Macroeconomics, Monetary, and Fiscal Policy Economics

  This research line examines how monetary and fiscal policies interact to shape business cycle fluctuations. It focuses on identifying macroeconomic and policy shocks and analyzing how they affect the dynamics of inflation, output, and macroeconomic stability. Structural and semi-structural models are used to uncover the mechanisms behind these effects, with particular attention to the role of agents’ expectations in policy transmission.

• Political Economy

  Political Economy examines how economic systems and political institutions interact to shape social outcomes. It studies the ways in which power, interests, and policies influence economic behavior and the distribution of resources. Bridging economics, politics, and sociology, it seeks to explain both domestic and global economic dynamics. The field provides tools to understand and address complex issues such as inequality, development, and governance.

• Public Economics and Policy Evaluation

  Public Economics examines the broad role of the government in the economy, focusing on both the efficiency and equity implications of public policy and action. It  analyzes issues like market failures, the design and impact of taxation and transfer programs, and the provision of public goods, the role of public ownership. The discipline is guided by the overall goal of identifying optimal policy actions, policies and behaviors that maximize social welfare.