NIKOS NIKIFORAKIS

Nikos Nikiforakis [in Greek: Νίκος Νικηφοράκης] is a Professor of Economics at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYU AD) and a Co-Director of the Center for Behavioral Institutional Design (C-BID). Before joining NYU AD in 2013, Nikos held senior positions at the University of Melbourne, Australia, the Max Planck Institute in Germany, and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in France.

Born in Athens, Greece, Nikos studied for his BA in Business Organization and Administration from the Athens University of Economics & Business. After a brief internship in Germany researching the European wind-energy market, he moved to London where he obtained an MSc in Financial & Industrial Economics and a PhD in Economics at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Growing up in Greece sparked Nikos' interest in issues of social cohesion and justice, which were reflected in his research during his PhD. The same broad themes underlie his research to this day, exploring topics related to social inequality, social norms, cooperation, social change, and stereotypes. 

While trained as an economist, Nikos' work draws from research in sociology, political science, social psychology, and philosophy. Inspired by the work of scholars such as Mark Granovetter, Jon Elster and Elinor Ostrom, Nikos' research traverses traditional disciplinary boundaries and aims to investigate complex social phenomena from multiple perspectives. 

During his time in London, Nikos learned about the use of experimentation in economics. The work of pioneers such as Vernon Smith, James Andreoni, and Ernst Fehr had a lasting impact on him. Driven by a desire to empirically validate socio-economic theories, Nikos' research primarily comprises of experimental studies conducted in the lab, field, and online. 

His research has been published in leading economic and interdisciplinary journals such as the American Economic Review, Nature Communications, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His research has been funded through grants by the National Science Foundation, the Australian Research Council, and the Economic and Social Research Council. 

Nikos has extensive editorial experience. He was a founding Co-Editor of the Journal of the Economic Science Association. He has been an Associate Editor at the European Economic Review for over a decade. He is also Associate Editor at the Journal of Economic Psychology, and an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 

Nikos' interest in social issues, led to engagements with governmental entities with the intention of using scientific methods to inform policy and promote welfare. He was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Council for Problem Gambling in Australia. He is currently a member of the Technical Advisory Board of the Behavioral Science Group at the Office of Development Affairs in Abu Dhabi. He has led research partnerships with the Presidential Court, and the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi.