Frank Schilbach

Frank Schilbach is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with a PhD from Harvard University (2015). His research bridges Behavioral Economics and Development Economics, focusing on the interplay between poverty, mental health, and economic behavior.

His work investigates how mental distress, sleep deprivation, and substance abuse affect decision-making in low-income populations, alongside behavioral barriers to information diffusion in developing countries. He co-leads the Behavioral Development Lab in India and holds affiliations with institutions such as the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD).

Recent publications, such as Do Financial Concerns Make Workers Less Productive? (QJE 2025) and Lives Versus Livelihoods (QJE 2025), highlight his focus on economic shocks, cognitive constraints, and behavioral interventions. His awards include the MIT MacVicar Faculty Fellowship (2024) and multiple Best Advisor and Teaching Awards.

Scientific Awards:

• 2024: MIT MacVicar Faculty Fellowship
• 2022: Frank E. Perkins Award for Graduate Advising
• 2022: MIT Graduate Economics Best Advisor
• 2022: MIT Undergraduate Teacher of the Year
• 2018: MIT Graduate Economics Best Advisor

Frank mentors students like Lexi Schubert (studying restful productivity) and Priyoma Mustafi (household learning dynamics). He actively collaborates with the Behavioral Development Lab and contributes to global development discourse via platforms like VoxDev.