Gaston Illanes

Gaston Illanes is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Economics. He holds a PhD from MIT (2016) and has held roles including NBER Faculty Research Fellow and Visiting Scholar at the Becker Friedman Institute. His research focuses on industrial organization and econometrics, with emphasis on strategic behavior in markets like pensions, annuities, and financial regulation.

Education: PhD in Economics from MIT (2016), M.A. and B.A. in Economics from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (2009). Notable awards include the Public Utility Research Center Prize and multiple NSF grants. His work addresses antitrust enforcement, merger simulations, and policy impacts on market structures.

Research interests include analyzing market dynamics through econometric models, evaluating regulatory policies, and studying retirement savings mechanisms. Recent articles explore merger effects in consumer goods markets and the design of defined contribution plans.

Grants and awards highlight his contributions to understanding fiduciary duty in financial markets and the role of direct democracy in deregulation. He has advised over a dozen students on topics ranging from antitrust to retirement policy.