Keith Bender

Professor Keith Bender is the SIRE Chair in Economics at the University of Aberdeen's Business School, Department of Economics. He is actively engaged in research, teaching, and academic leadership, including serving as Director of Research for the Business School. He is affiliated with the Centre for Labour Market Research (CeLMR), the Scottish Experimental Economics Laboratory (SEEL), and the Just Transition Lab (JTL).

• PhD in Economics, Duke University, 1994
• MA in Economics, Duke University, 1992
• BA in Economics, Furman University, 1990

Keith Bender specializes in applied microeconomics with a focus on labour economics. His research explores the intersections of health and labour, particularly how performance-related pay affects worker stress and wellbeing. He investigates educational and skills mismatch, labour market discrimination, and the socioeconomic impacts of energy transition, especially in the context of just transition in Scotland. His work often employs experimental methods and interdisciplinary collaboration.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in interdisciplinary research, combining economics with psychology and public policy. Key themes include performance-related pay and health, just transition, skills mismatch, and worker wellbeing. These works are published in high-impact journals such as Oxford Economic Papers, Industrial Relations, and Stress, and include commissioned reports for public bodies like the Just Transition Commission and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

• Research Fellow of the IZA
• Associate Editor of the British Journal of Industrial Relations

Professor Bender supervises PhD students in applied labour economics and has secured significant research funding, including from the ESRC and the Uplift Foundation, for projects on performance-related pay and just transition. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across psychology and health sciences. He is involved in knowledge exchange through podcasts, media engagement, and educational resources for schools.

He leads and contributes to research in the Centre for Labour Market Research, the Scottish Experimental Economics Laboratory, and the Just Transition Lab, where he explores experimental economics, labour market dynamics, and regional economic transitions.