George Naufal

Dr. George Naufal is an Associate Research Scientist at the Public Policy Research Institute (PPRI) at Texas A&M University, and holds research fellowships at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics and the Economic Research Forum (ERF). He previously served as an Assistant/Associate Professor of Economics at The American University of Sharjah (2007–2014) in the UAE. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Texas A&M University in 2007. His expertise lies in applied econometrics, focusing on labor economics—including criminal justice, conflict, education, migration, demographics, and unemployment. His work has been funded through grants totaling over $14 million, including support from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, Google, and Arnold Ventures. His research findings have been featured in prominent media outlets like the New York Times, Bloomberg, and NPR.

Dr. Naufal’s research interests span multiple dimensions of economic policy, including the impact of armed conflict on households, the effectiveness of criminal justice reforms, and the socioeconomic consequences of labor migration in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. He has also explored the interplay between remittances, public health, and economic development. Notably, his studies on the causal effects of legal counsel in criminal justice systems and the sentiment analysis of pandemic communication by U.S. governors highlight his interdisciplinary approach to addressing complex societal challenges.

His professional activities include serving as a principal investigator on high-impact projects, such as analyzing the cost-effectiveness of diabetes management programs and assessing the macroeconomic implications of remittance flows. His collaborative work with institutions like PPRI and IZA underscores his commitment to bridging academic research with real-world policy solutions.