Maja Adena

Prof. Dr. Maja Adena is an Associate Professor (W2, tenured) in Applied Microeconomics at Technische Universität Berlin and Head of the Research Group 'Information, Incentives, Inequality' at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center. She holds a PhD in Economics from the Free University Berlin (2013) and a Diplom in Economics (2006). Her research focuses on the Economics of Philanthropy, Media Economics, and Field/Natural Experiments. She has led major projects such as the PROSOCIAL initiative (Leibniz-funded) and contributed to the DFG-funded research unit 'Labour Market Transformation'.

Her work combines experimental methods with real-world applications, exploring topics like charitable giving behavior, digital media's role in fundraising, and historical case studies (e.g., Nazi-era media effects). She has secured over €1.5 million in grants, including leadership in interdisciplinary collaborations. Current team members include Francesco Capozza, Dilasa Karakaya, and Katharina Dorn. She actively participates in academic boards (e.g., BCCP, ASGE) and ethics committees.

Research highlights include field experiments on online fundraising efficacy, the impact of pandemics on pro-sociality, and historical analyses of Allied interventions during WWII. Her findings have been published in top journals like Management Science and Experimental Economics.