Diego Aycinena

Diego Aycinena is an Associate Professor of Practice in Behavioral and Decision Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania's College of Liberal and Professional Studies. As an economist with 15+ years of experience, he bridges academic research with practical policy applications in Latin America.

• Education: MA and PhD in Economics (George Mason University), BA in Business with minor in Finance (Universidad Francisco Marroquín)

Dr. Aycinena pioneered behavioral economics in Latin America by founding Guatemala's first Experimental Economics Laboratory (Centro Vernon Smith) and co-directing REBEL in Colombia. His research spans experimental economics, public policy analysis, and market design, with publications in Review of Economics and Statistics, PNAS, and other top journals.

He actively advises policymakers on economic regulation and behavioral interventions, including Colombia’s National Planning Department, Guatemala’s electric regulator CNEE, and the Inter-American Development Bank. His work includes designing procurement auctions for critical infrastructure projects.