My research lies at the intersection of labor economics and the economics of education, with a focus on how human capital is formed and how it shapes inequality in life outcomes. I study how individuals respond to policy interventions across key stages of the life cycle—from early childhood to adulthood—and how these responses vary with individual characteristics such as skills, preferences, and constraints. A central theme across my work is the interaction between heterogeneity and policy design: I examine how variation in endowments and exposure to different counterfactuals influences educational choices and labor market trajectories.
My academic and professional background reflects a sustained focus on applied policy questions in education, employment, and social protection. I combine reduced-form causal inference with structural modeling to generate both credible empirical estimates and deeper insights into mechanisms. Using rich administrative data and quasi-experimental variation, I estimate the effects of education and labor market policies. I complement this with structural models that allow for counterfactual analysis and optimal policy design. This dual approach—integrating rigorous identification with economic theory—has allowed me to contribute to policy-relevant literatures while addressing broader questions in labor and education economics. My work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has received competitive research funding.

In my research, I have developed a robust agenda in labor economics and the economics of education. My work addresses topics such as the returns to higher education, the effects and mechanisms through which social and labor policies influence child cognitive development, the dynamic impacts of job training, and the long-term returns of private versus public education.
In addition, I lead an active line of projects that reflect a long-term commitment to scientific research. These include studies on teacher professional development, the effects of early childhood education, preferential access policies in higher education, income subsidies and their impact on female labor supply, and the supply and demand for university majors in Chile.

My teaching at Universidad de los Andes has been defined by a rigorous, applied, and student-centered approach. I have redesigned both undergraduate and graduate courses to incorporate real-world data, statistical software, and empirical projects, enabling students to understand economic theory through its application to concrete problems. This approach has strengthened student motivation, engagement, and critical thinking.
Beyond the classroom, I have assembled teams of research assistants, with students with graduate studies, providing them with early training in teaching and applied research. In addition, I have complemented this work through thesis supervision and active participation in the department’s curriculum development.