Mackenzie Alston

Mackenzie Alston is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Finance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She joined the institution in 2022 after serving as an Assistant Professor at Florida State University (2019-2022) and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (2021-2022). She is also a Faculty Affiliate at the Notre Dame Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities.

• Education: Ph.D. in Economics (Texas A&M, 2019); A.B. in Economics and Mathematics (Washington University at Saint Louis, 2013)
• Current Roles: Assistant Professor of Finance (University of Illinois), Faculty Affiliate (Notre Dame Lab)

Her research intersects experimental economics, behavioral economics, and labor/education economics. Key themes include discrimination, stereotypes, charitable giving, and social media's role in academic careers. Articles like Eliminating Discrimination in Hiring Isn’t Enough (2023) highlight her focus on systemic inequities and policy gaps.

Current grants include research on Social Media in Academic Careers (2022-present). She teaches courses on Financial Economics (FIN 501) and Methods in Surveys & Experiments (FIN 580).