Maria A. Prats

Maria A. Prats is an Associate Professor at the University of Murcia's Faculty of Economics and Business, Department of Applied Economics. She also serves as a Research Fellow at the European Institute of the London School of Economics and Political Science since February 2022. Her academic career includes significant leadership roles, having served as coordinator of the doctoral program in Economics (1999-2001) and director of the Department of Applied Economics (2005-2009). She was President of the Spanish Association of International Economics and Finance (AEEFI) from June 2021 to June 2023 and previously served as Secretary of its Board of Directors (2017-2021).

Dr. Prats earned her PhD in Economics from the University of Murcia, receiving the Extraordinary Doctorate Award, and completed her undergraduate studies in Economics and Business Administration at the University of Alicante. Her academic journey reflects deep commitment to economic research and education in Spain.

Her research spans International Finance, Applied Macroeconometrics, Public Finance, Monetary Policy, and Sustainability. She has developed expertise in analyzing financial bubbles, credit cycles, long-run fiscal sustainability, and unconventional monetary policy. Recently, she has expanded her work to incorporate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly examining the intersection of environmental certification programs like Blue Flag beaches with economic development and tourism.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on historical economic analysis, particularly examining Spanish economic history from 1850 to the present. Her work combines sophisticated econometric techniques with deep historical context, often focusing on public debt sustainability, monetary policy transmission, and the relationship between financial systems and economic growth. She has increasingly incorporated sustainability dimensions into her research, connecting traditional economic analysis with contemporary environmental concerns.

• Extraordinary Doctorate Award for her PhD work

Dr. Prats has secured numerous research contracts and projects from Spain's Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, including significant work on optimal public deficit and tax smoothing in the Spanish economy from 1850-2022. She serves as principal investigator for the University of Murcia research group E051-04 Financial System and Monetary Economy and has participated in EU-funded projects like Cryptopolis. Her editorial work includes serving on the team for Áreas. International Journal of Social Sciences and guest editing for Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal.

She leads the University of Murcia research group E051-04 Financial System and Monetary Economy and has been involved in collaborative research networks including the Spanish Association of International Economics and Finance and the Free Economic Association. Her work bridges academic research with practical policy applications, particularly in the areas of monetary policy transmission and fiscal sustainability.