I am an Assistant Professor at Maastricht University and UNU-MERIT. I am also a fellow member of the African Studies Centre Leiden at Leiden University. My research focuses on economic development and well-being. My previous research examined post-conflict stability from the perspectives of political psychology and development. More recently, I explore the dynamics of social change (e.g. protests, changing social norms) and how societal transformations (e.g. digitalization and urban transformation) shape human well-being. 

I have taught economics, quantitative methods, and sustainability-related subjects at Maastricht University. I served as Deputy Director of the PhD Programme at UNU-MERIT between 2024 and 2025. I have also been a visiting researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo and Seoul National University.

Research

Publications

• Tiganasu, Ramona, Alexandru Banica, & Pui-Hang Wong. (2025) Catalyzing digital and environmental transformations by institutions in a diverse socio-economic world. World Development., 193, 107052.

• Wong, Pui-Hang, Karima Kourtit., & Peter Nijkamp (2025). The teleworking paradox: the geography of residential mobility of workers in pandemic times. The Annals of Regional Science, 74(1), 1-27.

• Wong, Pui-Hang, Ortrun Merkle & Melissa Siegel. (2024). Remittance receivers as targets for corruption in Latin America, Journal of Development Studies, 60(2): 324-343.

Under Review

• Open defecation and social norms (with Shyama Ramani and Vivek Claver).

• Digitalisation and mental health (with Trang Thi Pham).

• Porter Hypothesis in Sub-Saharan Africa (with Adam Adou and Rasmus Rema).

• Transportation and housing policy (with Julia Hahn)

Teaching

2026/2027

• Methods for Policy Analysis 

• Advanced Methods for Policy-Relevant Research and Analysis 

• Innovation Systems, Policy and Sustainability Transitions

• Environment and Economy (BA Global Studies)

• Governing Global Challenges

I am also supervising bachelor, master and PhD theses.