Maria Padilla-Romo

Maria Padilla-Romo is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business and holds the John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellowship. She is also a Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA). Her research focuses on labor economics, development economics, and the economics of education, with an emphasis on policy design to reduce inequality and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. Current work examines the long-term effects of violence and education policies on health, labor markets, and crime.

Education:

• Ph.D., Economics, Texas A&M University (2017)
• M.A., Economics, Universidad de Guadalajara (2009)
• B.A., Mathematics, Universidad de Guadalajara (2006)

Research Interests: Padilla-Romo explores how violence exposure, schooling policies, and labor market dynamics shape socioeconomic outcomes. Her work combines empirical analysis with policy evaluation to address systemic inequalities, particularly in education and health sectors. Recent studies investigate pre-conception violence impacts on infant health and the spillover effects of violence on academic performance.

Awards & Honors:

• John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow (2023-2026)
• National System of Researchers (SNI), CONACyT (2020-2023)
• Women Deliver 2019 Conference Scholarship
• Multiple finalists for Haslam College of Business awards (Rising Star Researcher, Diversity & Inclusion)

Labs & Collaborations: Collaborates with institutions like NBER and IZA. Her research often integrates large-scale administrative data to assess policy impacts, reflecting a commitment to evidence-based solutions.