Maria Cadaval Sampedro

Maria Cadaval Sampedro is an Assistant Professor (Profesora contratada doutora) in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Santiago de Compostela. She is also a member of the Inter-University Research Centre for Atlantic Cultural Landscapes (CISPAC) and the research groups ECOAGRASOC (Agro-food & Environmental Economics, Rural Development & Social Economy) and formerly ICEDE (Innovation, Structural Change & Development).

Education:

• PhD in Economics, University of Santiago de Compostela, 2006 – Dissertation: "Las aglomeraciones urbanas desde la perspectiva de la hacienda pública", supervised by Dr Luis Antonio Caramés Viéitez.

Research Focus:

Her work lies at the intersection of public economics, fiscal federalism, and governance. She examines how decentralised governments manage fiscal stress, the design and impact of environmental taxes (especially on renewable energy), and the effectiveness of anti-corruption mechanisms in local and regional administrations. A recurring theme is the sustainability of Spain’s territorial financing model and the political economy obstacles to reform.

Publication Trends:

Between 2023 and 2025 alone, Cadaval has produced a prolific stream of policy-oriented and academic articles addressing Spain’s post-COVID fiscal challenges, EU rule changes, energy-tax controversies, and municipal governance. The scholarly output spans empirical analyses of regional investment dynamics, theoretical reflections on fiscal consolidation, and normative proposals for greener and more transparent public finance.

Scientific & Policy Awards:

• No specific awards listed in the provided text.

Advising & Grants:

While doctoral advisees are not named, she has supervised master’s and doctoral theses through her department and research groups. External funding is implied via participation in competitive projects under CISPAC and ECOAGRASOC, although explicit grant numbers are not supplied.

Labs & Teams:

She collaborates closely with the ECOAGRASOC research group, contributing to projects on rural development economics and environmental policy evaluation. Inter-university partnerships through CISPAC further expand her network across Galicia and northern Portugal.