27 de August, 2021

FEN faculty academics and graduates shine among the new influential economist under-45

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A recent publication in newspaper La Tercera revealed a strong FEN presence in the new group of economists chosen by prominent exponents on the subject when asked to select the coming generations’ representatives.

 

Ranging between 30 to 45 years old, those selected as future influencers in the economic field stand out for their academic careers, for their contributions to the country's public policies and / or for the possibility of occupying positions of greater relevance. While some already hold prominent positions, others are just making their first career strides, both locally and abroad.

 

A common factor among the 17 selected, 8 women and 9 men, is that they all have experience in public policy and in academia, in addition, the vast majority has international postgraduate studies while some continue overseas teaching classes and leading research projects.

 

Meet the recognized FEN members:

- Academic fellow Eugenia Andreasen: Selected by FEN’s dean, José De Gregorio, the assistant professor of the Department of Economics of Universidad de Chile recently joined the Monetary Policy Group (GPM).

 

With a Ph.D. in Economics from the European University Institute and a 2008 master's degree in Economics from the same university, her field of specialization is macroeconomics, financial economics, and international finance.

 

“Her research work and publications are excellent. She has done very interesting work in capital flow management, incorporating corporate behavior to macroeconomic models,” said José De Gregorio adding “she has tremendous potential and if she decides to work in economic policy, or to contribute to the discussion from the academia, it will be a great contribution."

 

- Graduate Sebastián Espinoza: Chosen by the director of the Center for Economic and Social Policies of U. Mayor and researcher at COES, Claudia Sanhueza, who emphasizes that “he has been one of the best students of his generation and obtained the President of the Republic Scholarship for his secondary and higher education studies ”, this FEN economist and holder of a master's degree in Economic Analysis from UChile, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics at England’s UCL (University College of London).

 

His subjects of interest are education, poverty, inequality, and urban economy. "He is very committed to making his work a contribution not only to himself, but to the community," explains Sanhueza.

 

- Academic fellow and FEN graduate Lorena Flores: business administrator and executive director of FEN’s Department of Economics Microdata Center, Flores was nominated by UAI fellow and president of the Foundation for the Overcoming of Poverty, Andrea Repetto.

 

Lorena Flores holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of New South of Wales focusing her career primarily on academia and public policies. Andrea Repetto highlights Flores’ experience with labor issues: “She worked in the Ministry of Labor and today directs Microdata at UChile. From there she participates in the public discussion on employment, which today is at the heart of the economic reactivation struggle and in providing support to families and its design”.

 

- Graduate Christopher Neilson: nominated by the former president of the Central Bank, Vittorio Corbo and UC academic and scientific director of J-PAL LAC, Francisco Gallego, Neilson is a FEN graduate economist who holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Yale and the first Chilean to teach Economics at Princeton University -since 2015-, where he also studies issues of industrial organization specialized in educational markets and human capital.

 

Francisco Gallego highlights that he “applies tools from different fields to answer very relevant questions. He goes beyond writing top papers, he tries to influence public policies from there ”.

 

Vittorio Corbo adds that "given his specialty and his list of publications in high-quality specialized journals at this early stage of his professional career, he has great potential to contribute both in the academic world and in public policy."

 

- Graduate Javiera Petersen: an economist from the FEN, currently studying for her Ph.D. in Innovation and Public Policy at the University College of London.

 

She was chosen by the director of the Center for Economic and Social Policies of U. Mayor and researcher at COES, Claudia Sanhueza, who emphasized that Javiera is one of the founders of the Observatory of Economic Policies and its current executive director. "She is studying  the productive matrix and its growth, and I believe that she will be a contribution to the economic policy debate for Chile’s new productive development model ."

 

- Graduate Sergio Urzúa: nominated by Felipe Larraín, former Minister of Finance and director of Clapes UC. Urzúa is an economist from FEN and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Chicago.

 

He is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland and an International Researcher at Clapes UC. His research areas include education economics, labor economics, and economic development.

 

Felipe Larraín stresses: “He is an A-list economist”. He praises “his ability to connect economic theory and data, to the analysis of all kinds of situations. His columns and articles are of great quality. Despite not living in Chile, he has participated in multiple commissions and councils. He contributes to the debate with an opinion always based on evidence. His capacity for work, seriousness and productivity differentiate him ”.