Ioana Elena Marinescu

Objective function

I am an economist, currently at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. My research aims at constructing models of the interplay between institutions and the behavior of agents with a focus on economic outcomes. These models should have a direct statistical/econometric counterpart to allow for empirical validation. The statistical analysis of the data should be complemented with the relevant qualitative knowledge about institutions and agents' behavior. Finally, my research should have practical implications for policy making.

Current position

Assistant professor in economics, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy

News

I was in Mexico in July 2011 to present the results of my paper with Oliver Azuara on the impact of Mexico's universal health care program on informality [pdf]. I was honored to speak in front of top Mexican health policy makers.

My paper "Are Judges Sensitive to Economic Conditions? Evidence from UK Employment Tribunals" [pdf] has just been published in the Industrial and Labor Relations Review July 2011 issue. I want to thank the editor and referees for their help in improving and streamlining the paper.

Current research projects

I am working on several projects investigating the functioning of urban labor markets in developing countries, with a particular focus on the issue of informality.

I have several early stages projects on online labor markets, with a focus on search and matching.