Esther Arenas Arroyo

Dr. Esther Arenas Arroyo is an Associate Professor (tenured) at the Department of Economics of WU Vienna University of Economics and Business. She holds additional affiliations as a Research Fellow at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, the University of Oxford's COMPAS (Migration Policy and Society), and the Global Labor Organization (GLO). She earned her PhD from Queen Mary University of London and previously served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford's COMPAS. Currently on maternity leave until August 2025.

Her research focuses on labor economics, migration policy, and crime, with a particular emphasis on policies affecting disadvantaged families and intergenerational poverty. Key themes include: 1) Empowering disadvantaged women to improve children's opportunities; 2) Immigration policy impacts on businesses, communities, and families. Her work integrates applied microeconometrics to address structural inequalities and policy design.

She teaches courses such as Research & Policy Seminar: Labor and Organizational Economics, PhD Research Seminar - Job Market Training & Writing, and Topics in Microeconometrics. She also co-organizes the Vienna Applied Microeconomics Network.

Recent research highlights include analyzing immigration enforcement effects on child welfare, digital divides' mental health impacts, and sanctuary policies' role in reducing school bullying. Her work often bridges policy analysis with socioeconomic outcomes, emphasizing marginalized populations.