My research studies how income, policy design, and institutional contexts shape human development and economic behavior, with a focus on generating evidence for effective social policy.
🏆 Best Article Award, Economic History of Developing Regions (2026)
Question: How do sustained, predictable cash transfers from birth affect how families allocate resources over early childhood?
Findings: Additional income increases spending on child-focused goods, especially in early childhood. While marginal responses decline with age, total effects persist due to the accumulation of income over time. Transfers do not increase general household spending, indicating targeted investment in children.
Why it matters: When and how income is delivered is central to policy effectiveness. This paper introduces a framework that distinguishes behavioral responses from cumulative resource effects, with implications for the design of child benefits and income support policies.
Question: Do conditional cash transfers improve health outcomes in urban settings?
Findings: Cash transfers improve health outcomes among low-income urban households, though effects depend on access to services and local conditions.
Why it matters: Policy effectiveness depends not only on program design but also on context, highlighting the need to adapt interventions to urban environments.
Question: How does unconditional income affect parenting behaviors?
Findings: Additional income changes how parents allocate time and attention, indicating that financial resources shape caregiving behavior.
🏆 Awarded Best Biennial Article 2024-25, Economic History of Developing Regions (EHDR)
Question: How do colonial land institutions shape long-term economic development and regional inequality?
Findings: Areas near large colonial estates (haciendas) exhibit higher long-term welfare, driven by persistent agglomeration and local economic activity.
Why it matters: Historical economic structures can create lasting development advantages, offering a new channel linking inequality to modern outcomes.
Question: What limits access to healthy diets in urban settings?
Findings: Affordability, access, and urban food environments constrain nutrition among low-income populations.
Why it matters: Improving urban nutrition requires addressing structural barriers, not just individual behavior.
Question: How do socioeconomic disparities affect child growth?
Findings: Persistent height gaps reflect deep inequalities in early-life conditions.
Why it matters: Early-life disparities have long-term consequences, making early interventions critical.
Question: Can semi-virtual training improve provider knowledge?
Findings: Training significantly improves breastfeeding knowledge among healthcare providers.
Why it matters: Scalable training can strengthen maternal and child health systems.
Question: What are the costs of maternity leave policies?
Findings: Costs vary across countries but remain substantial and policy-relevant.
Why it matters: Cost estimates are essential for designing feasible maternal health policies.
Question: How do contextual factors shape food insecurity?
Findings: Regional and structural factors strongly influence food insecurity.
Why it matters: Effective policy must be tailored to local contexts.
Question: What would it cost to support informal workers?
Findings: Cash transfers are feasible under certain policy designs, even in high-informality settings.
Why it matters: Expanding social protection to informal workers is key for equity.
Question: How do productivity and human capital interact?
Findings: They act as complementary drivers of regional competitiveness.
Why it matters: Sustained growth requires investment in both.
Question: Is the region economically homogeneous?
Findings: There is substantial heterogeneity in specialization and performance.
Why it matters: Regional policy must reflect local variation.