Simen Markussen is a Director at the Frisch Centre for Economic Research, affiliated with the Department of Economics at the University of Oslo. Holding a PhD in Economics (2010), he focuses on labour economics , social insurance programs , and health economics using empirical methods and Norwegian registry data . Education : PhD in Economics, University of Oslo (2010) His research explores economic mobility , sickness absence , and policy evaluation , with recent work on pandemic employment gradients, ADHD treatment outcomes, and housing market dynamics. Articles span Education Economics , BMJ Mental Health , and Journal of Health Economics , emphasizing causal inference and policy implications. Collaborations include projects on pension reforms , vocational rehabilitation , and social insurance fraud . Though no scientific awards are listed, his work informs Norwegian welfare and labor policies through Nordic comparative micro-data and randomized field experiments . Current projects address adult education incentives , corona crisis economic impacts , and interventions for crime-prone individuals . His 15 recent publications (2023–2025) highlight cross-disciplinary applications in public sector productivity , health policy , and economic inequality .
Jussi Tervola is a Research Manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), within the Social Security and Services unit under Welfare State Research, part of the Healthcare and Social Welfare department. He holds a Doctor of Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki and is a Docent in Social Policy at the University of Turku. Doctor of Social Sciences (D.Soc.Sci), Social and Public Policy, University of Helsinki, 2018 Master of Social Sciences, Statistics, University of Helsinki, 2010 Docent (Adjunct Professor), Social Policy, University of Turku, 2023 His research centers on social and health policy, with a strong emphasis on the Finnish social security system, policy analysis through microsimulation, and the financial burden of health out-of-pocket payments. He specializes in developing microsimulation tools for evaluating the impact of policy reforms on income distribution and poverty. His work spans topics such as parental leave, refugee integration, unemployment insurance reforms, and healthcare affordability, using advanced register-based and microsimulation methods. His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on evaluating the distributional effects of social and health policies in Finland and the Nordic region. Key themes include poverty alleviation, equity in healthcare financing, the integration of immigrants, and the design of minimum income schemes. His research often involves comparative analysis and collaboration with international institutions like WHO Europe. Analysing the Effects of Healthcare Payment Policies on Poverty Smaller net or just fewer to catch? Disentangling minimum income schemes Comparing labor market integration of different refugee groups Distributional impacts of behavioral effects in unemployment insurance reform Promoting parental leave for immigrant fathers Jussi Tervola has been actively involved in research at Kela and THL, contributing to national policy discussions. He has collaborated with researchers from Stockholm University and has published extensively on social security and health policy. His work provides critical evidence for policymakers aiming to improve financial protection and equity in the welfare state. He leads research on microsimulation tools and conducts in-depth studies on social security reforms, healthcare financing, and the socio-economic integration of vulnerable populations. His projects often involve policy evaluation and the development of analytical frameworks for assessing the impact of social interventions.
Sandip Sukhtankar is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Virginia, where he has been teaching since 2016. He previously taught at Dartmouth College from 2009-2016. Sukhtankar is a co-editor of the Journal of Public Economics, serves on the Board of Reviewing Editors at Science, is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), and an affiliate of the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD) and the Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). At J-PAL, he co-directs the Payments and Governance Research Program and serves on the board of the DIGIFI Africa initiative. His educational background includes a PhD in Economics from Harvard University (2009) and a BA with Highest Honors from Swarthmore College (2000). Prior to his academic career, he worked at NERA, the Brookings Institution, and the Center for Global Development between 2000-2004. Sukhtankar's research focuses on development economics, political economy, and public economics, with particular emphasis on corruption, governance, and the delivery of public benefits and services. His work often centers on India, where he has conducted extensive field research on topics including women's help desks in police stations, biometric authentication in welfare programs, cash transfers, and corruption dynamics. His research frequently employs experimental methods to evaluate policy interventions. Sukhtankar's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on governance challenges in developing countries, particularly India. His work spans welfare program design, identity verification systems, gender-sensitive policing reforms, and the economic implications of technology adoption in public service delivery. A notable trend in his research is the examination of trade-offs in program design, such as between fraud prevention and exclusion errors, or between administrative efficiency and program accessibility. Board of Reviewing Editors at Science Co-editor of Journal of Public Economics Research Associate at National Bureau of Economic Research Affiliate of Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development Sukhtankar has served on the review board of J-PAL's Social Protection Initiative and has lectured at J-PAL training events. His research has been supported by J-PAL's Crime and Violence Initiative and Innovation in Government Initiative. He has developed significant partnerships with government entities, particularly in India, including the Madhya Pradesh Police Department, where he evaluated women's help desks in police stations. His work often involves collaboration with government agencies to design and implement evidence-based policy reforms. Sukhtankar is actively involved in research initiatives focused on improving governance through technology, particularly in the context of welfare programs in India. His current work includes studying interventions to improve female labor force participation among newly recruited women constables in the Madhya Pradesh police force, addressing challenges related to job retention, satisfaction, and performance.
Tao Zhang is a Senior Research Fellow at the Frisch Centre, affiliated with the University of Oslo. He holds a Dr.Polit in Social Economics (2004) and a Cand.oecon (1998), both from the University of Oslo. His research focuses on labor economics, econometrics, and social policy, with emphasis on unemployment, pension systems, and labor market interventions. Research Interests: Zhang's work spans unemployment dynamics, labor market policies for vulnerable groups (youth, immigrants, disabled persons), econometric methods for causal inference, pension reforms, and income volatility. He employs advanced statistical models to evaluate policy impacts in Norway and cross-national contexts. Publication Trends: His 15 most recent articles (2000–2025) reveal consistent themes: labor policy evaluation, econometric methodology, and socioeconomic inclusion. Key areas include active labor programs, housing economics, gender disparities in labor supply, and pension system sustainability. His research combines microdata analysis with policy-focused applications. Projects: Zhang leads/contributes to over 30 active projects at Frisch Centre, including: Qualifications, education, and productivity (ID: 1101) Economics of Adult Education (ID: 1107) Working life and welfare of the elderly (ID: 1133) Labor market exclusion (ID: 1156) Norwegian pension reform impacts (ID: 1175) He coordinates large-scale evaluations of labor market programs and collaborates on EU-funded initiatives like INPROD (Labor Market Inclusion) and SWiTCH (Workforce Transitions).
Rita Ginja is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Bergen. She holds adjunct roles including Research Fellow at IZA and International Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Her research focuses on labor economics, education, health, and development, with a particular emphasis on topics such as parental leave policies, health insurance impacts, and intergenerational mental health transmission. Education: PhD in Economics from University College London (2011), Licenciatura (BSc) in Economics from Universidade Católica Portuguesa (2002). Research interests include the economic consequences of menopause, employer responses to family leave policies, and the long-term effects of early childhood interventions. Notable work includes studies on the 'menopause penalty' in earnings and the intergenerational transmission of mental health. Her publications appear in top journals such as the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Journal of Labor Economics, and The Economic Journal. Recent presentations include keynote talks at workshops on health and care from early life to old age and conferences at institutions like Stanford University. Rita has received grants from the National Science Foundation, Swedish Research Council, and others. Her research has been featured in media outlets including The Economist and Vox, and highlighted in policy reports such as the World Bank's analysis of social exclusion programs in Chile. She actively participates in academic networks and serves as a referee for leading economics journals. Her work bridges empirical research with policy implications, addressing critical issues in labor markets, health systems, and social welfare.
Andreas I. Mueller is Professor of Macroeconomics and Labor Markets in the Department of Economics at the University of Zurich, where he holds a full-time faculty position. He is also an Affiliated Professor at the UBS Center for Economics in Society, a Research Affiliate at CEPR, and a Research Fellow at IZA. He serves as Associate Editor for the Review of Economic Studies and Journal of Monetary Economics , reflecting his significant contributions to economic research. Professor of Macroeconomics and Labor Markets, Department of Economics, University of Zurich Affiliated Professor, UBS Center for Economics in Society Research Affiliate, CEPR Research Fellow, IZA Associate Editor, Review of Economic Studies Associate Editor, Journal of Monetary Economics His research focuses on macroeconomics, labor economics, and monetary economics, with particular emphasis on unemployment, job search behavior, wage dynamics, and labor market policy. His work integrates empirical analysis with theoretical frameworks to understand labor market frictions, cyclical fluctuations, and the impact of social insurance programs. He frequently uses survey and administrative data to examine how individuals form expectations, search for jobs, and respond to economic shocks. His recent publications span leading journals such as American Economic Review , Econometrica , Journal of Political Economy , and Review of Economic Studies . These works reveal a consistent focus on labor market inefficiencies, including wage dispersion, reservation wages, duration dependence in unemployment, and the gender wage gap. His research increasingly incorporates behavioral elements, such as job seekers' perceptions and emotional well-being, into macroeconomic models. He has been recognized for his doctoral work with the Arnbergska Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His research has received widespread media coverage in outlets like The New York Times , Wall Street Journal , Financial Times , and The Economist , indicating its policy relevance and public impact. Andreas I. Mueller has advised and collaborated with numerous researchers and institutions. His editorial roles and frequent discussions at academic conferences highlight his active engagement in the scholarly community. He has taught advanced macroeconomics and labor market courses at the PhD, MA, and MBA levels at the University of Zurich, UT Austin, and Columbia Business School. He has not received external grant mentions in the provided text, but his affiliations with CEPR, IZA, and UBS Center suggest ongoing research support. He is involved in research networks and regularly presents at major economics conferences, including AEA Meetings, NBER workshops, and central bank events. His work often involves collaboration with Federal Reserve economists and policy institutions, underscoring its applied and policy-oriented nature.
Professor Silje Mæland is affiliated with the Department of Global Health and Community Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway . Her research focuses on work and health , including sick leave, work ability, and return-to-work strategies. She leads the National Council for Work and Health , the Professional Forum in the Alrek Health Cluster , and the Research and Development Group in the Sports Cluster West . Mæland is also the research manager at the Sunnaasstiftelsen . Her educational background includes an MSc (2007) from the University of Bergen PhD (2013) from the University of Bergen/NORCE She is a qualified physiotherapist from the University of Bradford, UK. Mæland’s research projects include the Bergen in Change – COVID-19 study , which investigates pandemic impacts on health and employment. Her work extends to patient assessment in sick leave cases, with a focus on conditions like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome , Vestibular disorders , and Cerebral Palsy . She employs both qualitative and quantitative methods. Her recent publications highlight trends in peer mentorship for brain injury recovery menopause-related work capacity decline virtual environment gait training emotional eating during the pandemic medical evaluation of sick leave work capacity disparities across Europe Scientific awards include 2014: Outstanding Teaching Award at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences 2020: Meritorious Lecturer status at the University of Bergen She actively communicates research findings through media appearances (24 times in 2020, 61 times in 2021) public lectures at Litteraturhus and academic institutions contributions to national reports like the Women’s Health Committee (NOU)
Pål Erling Martinussen is a Professor at the Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, since 2014. His academic work spans comparative health system studies, welfare state reforms, health policy, public administration, and local governance. He has held visiting appointments at the University of California, San Diego. Research Areas: Comparative Health Systems, Welfare Reforms, Health Policy, Local Government, Public Administration Key Affiliation: Department of Sociology and Political Science, NTNU Martinussen's research focuses on healthcare recommodification, public policy, and the impact of organizational and political factors on healthcare delivery. His publications analyze economic incentives in healthcare, physician retention, and the role of ideology in welfare attitudes. His recent articles examine topics such as digital health services, municipal healthcare reforms, and the interplay between economic freedom and subjective happiness in Europe. These works often employ comparative studies across European countries and emphasize policy implications. Martinussen has contributed extensively to journals like Social Science & Medicine , Health Policy , and Scandinavian Political Studies . His teaching includes courses on welfare states, public policy, and political science fundamentals.
Jacinta Victoria Syombua Muinde is an Associate Professor at the Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, University of Oslo. She specializes in medical anthropology with a focus on global health, economic anthropology, and development studies. Current projects: Epidemics and African Health Systems: Covid-19 in Kenya , Universal Health Coverage and the Public Good in Africa Research collaborations: ARUA-Guild CoRE on Pandemic Preparedness Research interests: Intersection of health insurance and social protection systems Ethnographic analysis of cash transfer schemes in Kenya Anthropology of mental health and digital health technologies Gender dynamics in matrilineal kinship systems Post-pandemic health system transformations Formal/informal care networks in African contexts Recent publications explore health policy implementation, pandemic afterlives, and welfare systems in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Scientific honors: Royal Anthropological Institute's Sutasoma Award (2018) Audrey Richards Prize (2020) Commonwealth Scholarship recipient Teaching roles: Courses in Medical Anthropology, Global Epidemics, Qualitative Methods, and Medical Studies modules.
Krishna Srinivasan is a Postdoctoral Researcher at UniDistance and a Visiting Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Zurich. His research focuses on behavioral economics and public economics, particularly the implications of societal beliefs and preferences for government roles. He actively engages with academic communities through conferences like LISIT2025 and contributes to discussions on topics such as tax policy, redistribution, and experimental methods. His work often intersects with policy-relevant questions, such as welfare weights estimation, equity considerations, and the design of public programs. Krishna frequently shares updates on his research via Bluesky, including papers on behavioral insights and methodological advancements like the shift-share design analysis of Overleaf's impact on GDP. He also participates in academic networks, such as the Behavioral Economics Starter Pack on Bluesky. Key areas of interest include taxation, inequality measurement, and the application of behavioral principles to public finance. His recent contributions highlight empirical studies on redistribution preferences, housing policies' fertility effects, and the comparative welfare of gift-giving versus cash transfers.
Rafael Lalive is a Professor of Economics at the University of Lausanne's Faculty of Business and Economics, specializing in labor market policy, family policy, and social economics. He teaches empirical methods in economics and management, and has held visiting positions at institutions like the University of Uppsala, Pompeu Fabra, and UC Berkeley. His research focuses on unemployment insurance, parental leave, and the impact of policies on labor supply and well-being. Key affiliations include CESifo (Munich), CEPR (London), IFAU (Uppsala), and IZA (Bonn). Lalive chairs a scientific committee assessing unemployment insurance reforms in France and co-edited the Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics. His work spans topics like the effects of unemployment benefit cuts, gender preferences in job vacancies, and pandemic policy impacts. He has supervised numerous master theses on public economics, labor economics, and welfare policies. Notable contributions include studies on parental leave's impact on fertility, the role of social networks in job search, and the evaluation of job search assistance programs. His research combines empirical methods with causal inference to address policy-relevant questions. Lalive collaborates with the Lausanne Labor Group (LLG), a team of researchers including current members like Sofia Schröter and former members such as Patrick Arni and Beatrix Eugster. His teaching emphasizes applied econometrics and causal analysis, with courses at undergraduate and graduate levels in Lausanne and international institutions.
Barton Willage is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Delaware, specializing in health economics, public economics, labor economics, and the economics of education. His research focuses on topics such as healthcare access, policy interventions, and intergenerational economic impacts. He holds a PhD and has published extensively in top journals like the Journal of Political Economy and Review of Economics and Statistics . Educational background: PhD in Economics (details unspecified). His work often employs randomized controlled trials and instrumental variable techniques to assess policy effectiveness. Research interests include the effects of healthcare policies on patient outcomes, spillover effects of social programs, and the long-term consequences of economic shocks on families. Notable projects analyze school meal programs, Medicaid contraceptive access, and labor market resilience across life stages. Collaborations span institutions like NBER, IZA, and NHH, with frequent co-authors including G. Conti, R. Ginja, and A. Willén. Current projects explore the 'menopause penalty,' hepatitis C treatment accessibility, and gender disparities in STEMM fields driven by healthcare provider roles. No formal advisee list is provided, though his research likely involves graduate students. Grants and awards are not explicitly mentioned in available texts. Labs/teams: Active in health economics circles, contributing to conferences like ASHEcon. Maintains a professional website and Mastodon presence under @bartonwillage@econtwitter.net.
Lumbwe Chola is an Associate Professor at the Department of Health Management and Health Economics, University of Oslo. He holds a PhD in Health Economics from the University of Bergen (2012), an MPhil in Health Systems Research from the same institution (2007), and a BA in Economics from the University of Zambia (2002). His academic interests focus on Economic Evaluation, Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Priority Setting in healthcare, and Global Health. He teaches courses such as HEVAL4200 (Fundamentals of Economic Evaluation in Healthcare) and HMET4210 (Research Design). Prof. Chola currently serves as Chairperson of the Working Group for an Africa HTA Programme at the Africa CDC (2023) and is a Member of the Global Fund Technical Review Panel since 2020. He has held roles such as Senior Advisor at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (2019–present) and led the 'Support to Evidence-Informed Priority Setting in Ghana' project (2022–present). His research emphasizes improving healthcare decision-making through evidence-based approaches, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. His work spans diverse regions including Ghana, The Gambia, South Africa, Zambia, and the Palestinian territories, addressing challenges such as health insurance design, vaccine equity, and HTA methodology transferability. Collaborations include the Bergen Centre for Ethics and Priority Setting, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and Ghana’s Ministry of Health.
Gunnar Tellnes is a Professor and founder of the Section of Social Insurance Medicine at the University of Oslo's Department of Community Medicine and Global Health. He holds academic affiliations with the Faculty of Medicine and has served in leadership roles including Deputy Dean and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1996-99). His research focuses on sickness absence, injury prevention, and the Nature-Culture-Health (NaCuHeal) interplay. He has authored over 40 publications and co-edited key texts like Social aspects of illness, disease and sickness absence (2011). Education: MD, University of Bergen (1977) Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Minnesota (1984-85) Master's in Health Administration, University of Oslo (2002) Research Interests: Dr. Tellnes investigates how cultural and natural environments impact public health, particularly through NaCuHeal initiatives. His work emphasizes injury prevention at community levels, occupational rehabilitation, and policy-driven health promotion. He pioneered the concept of integrating nature and culture into health interventions. Awards: World Academy of Productivity Science Fellowship (1999) Bergen University Rector's Gold Medal (1990) Norwegian Medical Depot Research Award (1984) Grants & Collaborations: Collaborates with institutions like University of Bergen and Eastern Norway Research Institute on sickness absence studies. Led nationwide injury prevention programs on Værøy Island, achieving lasting public health impacts. Labs/Teams: Active in the Nature-Culture-Health International network, founding its global initiatives. Coordinates the NaCuHeal Center at Semsvannet in Asker.
Øystein M. Hernæs is a Senior Research Fellow at the Frisch Centre, University of Oslo, specializing in labor economics, welfare systems, and public policy evaluation. His research focuses on the intersection of economic incentives, social equity, and policy effectiveness. Research Interests: Hernæs investigates welfare activation mechanisms, pension reforms, electricity demand management, and healthcare equity. His work employs empirical methods to analyze how policy interventions impact labor markets, educational outcomes, and household behavior. Publications Focus: Recent articles explore therapeutic care effectiveness, pension system inequalities, and energy consumption patterns. His research demonstrates consistent emphasis on quantitative analysis of social programs and their distributional effects across socioeconomic groups. Projects & Collaborations: Key projects include analyses of welfare conditionality, pension reform impacts, electricity pricing responses, and evaluations of child welfare services. He frequently collaborates with Norwegian government agencies on policy design and assessment.
