Catherine Eckel

Catherine Eckel is the Sara and John Lindsey Professor in the Liberal Arts and University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Economics at Texas A&M University, where she directs the Behavioral Economics and Policy Program. She previously held positions at the University of British Columbia, Virginia Tech, and the University of Texas at Dallas (where she founded the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Economic Science). Her research focuses on behavioral/experimental economics, including risk attitudes, financial decision-making, altruism, and gender differences in preferences. Dr. Eckel has advised 15 PhD students and received over $4.4M in NSF grants, alongside funding from private foundations. She was awarded the Carolyn Shaw Bell Award (2013) for her mentorship of women in economics. Active in professional organizations, she served as President of the Economic Science Association and Southern Economic Association, and currently advises the NSF Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate.

Her educational background includes a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Virginia (1983). Research interests span experimental methodologies, social norms, and policy-relevant issues like counter-terrorism coordination and charitable fundraising. Eckel’s work combines lab and field experiments to explore topics such as racial/ethnic identity’s impact on academic success, discrimination in trust games, and the effectiveness of fundraising strategies.

Recent research trends emphasize policy applications of behavioral insights, including studies on pandemic behavior, leadership gender gaps, and the interplay between social identities and public goods provision. Her articles highlight innovative experimental designs and interdisciplinary approaches, bridging economics with psychology and political science.

• Scientific Awards: Carolyn Shaw Bell Award (2013)

Advising and grants reflect her commitment to fostering early-career researchers and applied economic inquiry. Her labs and programs focus on behavioral policy interventions, experimental infrastructure, and cross-cultural economic studies. Current work includes examinations of health behavior economics and experimental validation of fairness norm theories.