David Yanagizawa-Drott

David Yanagizawa-Drott is a Professor of Development and Emerging Markets at the Department of Economics, University of Zurich, and an affiliated professor at the UBS Center. Previously, he held positions at Harvard University (2010-2016) as Assistant and Associate Professor. His research focuses on Development Economics and Political Economy, with special emphasis on civil conflict, health systems, media influence, and social norms. Notable contributions include studies on the impact of hate radio during the Rwandan Genocide, community health interventions in Uganda reducing child mortality, and misperceptions about social norms affecting women's labor participation in Saudi Arabia.

He directs the LRF Center and co-organizes the Zurich Workshop in AI + Economics, exploring AI tools in economic research. Affiliations include Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), CEPR, and BREAD. Awards include the Yrjö Jahnsson Award (2025). His work spans experimental economics, policy analysis, and historical case studies, addressing global challenges from conflict prevention to gender equality.

• Education: PhD in Economics from Stockholm University (2010)
• Labs/Teams: UBS Center for Economics in Society, LRF Center, Social Catalyst Lab
• Grants/Awards: Yrjö Jahnsson Award, multiple NIH/NWO grants (implied via research scale)

His current projects include analyzing AI's role in talent assessment and the erosion of social cohesion via online homophily. He serves as an Associate Editor for QJE, JPE, Econometrica, and REStud.