Maria Racionero

Dr. Maria Racionero is a Research Professor and Director of the ANU Centre for Economic Policy, and Economics Honours Convenor at the ANU College of Business and Economics. She holds a BEc from Universidad de La Laguna, MEc and PhD from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Her research focuses on public economic theory, optimal taxation, and energy economics, with recent work addressing parental leave policies, education equity, and social mobility.

Key roles include leadership in the ANU Institute for Climate, Energy & Disaster Solutions' energy economics and policy initiatives. She received the First National Prize (Spanish Ministry of Education) for her undergraduate work and conducted TMR EU-funded research at Université Catholique de Louvain.

Her publications span 20 years, emphasizing policy analysis in taxation, education financing, and labour markets. Notable contributions include studies on parental leave effects, income-contingent loans, and social security design.