Erika Martinez

Erika Martinez is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of South Florida. She holds a Ph.D. and Master's in Economics from Duke University (2011 and 2007) and a Bachelor's from the University of Florida (2004). Her teaching spans foundational economics courses such as Principles of Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Advanced Microeconomic Theory, alongside the Economics of Education. She co-leads the USF Peru Climate Change study abroad program.

Her research focuses on educational issues, including school accountability policies, early childhood development, and the impact of educational standards. Notable projects include a large-scale analysis of North Carolina's school accountability systems and longitudinal studies on early childhood programs through the American Association for Gifted Children. She is an active member of the American Economic Association and National Economics Association.

Martinez emphasizes critical thinking in her teaching philosophy, linking economic concepts to real-world events and student experiences to foster engagement. Her approach aims to make economics accessible yet rigorous, challenging common perceptions of the discipline as detached or overly demanding.