Nirupama Rao

Nirupama Rao is an Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, University of Michigan. She holds a PhD in Economics (2010) and a BS (2004) from MIT, and previously worked at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Council of Economic Advisers (2015-2016).

• Education: PhD in Economics (MIT, 2010); BS (MIT, 2004)

Her research focuses on fiscal policy impacts on firm behavior, including tax effects on production decisions, investment patterns, and pricing strategies. Key areas include excise taxes, R&D incentives, corporate taxation, and minimum wage policies. She employs empirical methods using tax records, production data, and econometric modeling.

Recent work demonstrates that excise tax incidence models must account for price discreteness, showing how tax design affects consumer welfare and government revenue. Her analysis of sin taxes reveals concentrated tax burdens among low-income households, while minimum wage studies find revenue adjustments by small businesses to offset labor costs.

• Awards: National Tax Association Dissertation Award; 2019 Journal of Public Economics Atkinson Award