Emma Riley

Emma Riley is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Michigan, affiliated with J-PAL, BREAD, and Yale Inclusion Economics. Her research focuses on development economics, particularly digital financial services, women's empowerment, and anti-poverty programs in sub-Saharan Africa. She employs large-scale field experiments to study topics like mobile banking adoption, microenterprise investment, and the impact of role models on education.

Education: DPhil in Economics (University of Oxford, 2019), MPhil in Economics (University of Oxford, 2015), BA in Economics (University of Cambridge, 2010).

Research emphasizes practical interventions in Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, and rural Africa. Her work addresses how technology, policy, and social dynamics can alleviate poverty and empower marginalized groups. Recent studies include pandemic responses and the effects of cultural role models on youth education.

Publications span 2018–2025, covering mobile money adoption, crisis adaptation, and household resilience. Awards include affiliations with leading development research networks.