About
Maria Plotnikova is a Lecturer in Economics at the Aberystwyth Business School, Aberystwyth University. She holds a PhD from the University of Illinois and serves as the Degree Scheme Coordinator for Economics. Her research focuses on regional and urban economics, poverty and inequality, and housing in transition economies. She is a member of the Regional Science Association and has secured significant funding, including Horizon 2020 and ESRC grants, for projects addressing spatial justice and poverty in Europe and Wales.
Education: PhD in Economics (University of Illinois).
Research Interests: Regional/Urban Economics, Poverty and Inequality, Housing Economics, Transition Economies, Environmental Economics. Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to ending poverty and fostering sustainable development.
Grants and Projects: Lead Investigator for the Entrepreneurial Factor, Digital Ecosystems project (Spanish Research Council, 2021–2025), Horizon 2020’s IMAJINE project (2017–2022), and an ESRC-funded study on poverty in Wales (2014–2016).
Media and Outreach: Her work on rural digital infrastructure and pandemic impacts has been widely covered in media, including the Western Mail. She has organized workshops and delivered talks on topics like post-pandemic economic recovery and digitalization of SMEs.
