Maria Sauval

Maria Sauval is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Economics within the School of Business at Aalto University. Her work focuses on evaluating social and educational policies aimed at reducing inequalities and supporting child development through early childhood care and education systems.

Her research examines the roles of childcare, parental involvement, schools, teachers, and peer environments in shaping child development trajectories and long-term socioeconomic outcomes. Key areas include:

• Impact of unconditional cash transfers on maternal employment and childcare decisions
• Effects of pre-K programs on elementary school teaching environments
• Heterogeneous impacts of public preschool initiatives across socioeconomic groups
• Pandemic disruptions in childcare markets

Maria completed her PhD in Education Policy and Social Context at the University of California, Irvine in 2024. Her methodological approach combines large-scale randomized controlled trials (e.g., Baby's First Years study) with comprehensive administrative data analysis.

Her collaborative research has been presented at major academic venues including APPAM, SRCD Biennial Meeting, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Current work in progress examines prekindergarten effects on teen childbearing and cash transfer program enforcement.