Matt Lowe

Matt Lowe is an Assistant Professor at the Vancouver School of Economics within the Faculty of Arts at the University of British Columbia. Currently on leave, he maintains an active research profile focusing on the intersection of behavioral, development, and political economics. His work employs field and natural experiments to investigate social dynamics across diverse contexts.

Lowe's research interests center on intergroup relations, examining how social psychological and economic factors shape interactions between religious, caste, political, racial, and gender groups. His methodological approach emphasizes rigorous experimental design to uncover causal mechanisms in complex social settings.

His publication portfolio demonstrates a consistent focus on understanding social cohesion, prejudice reduction, and institutional design. Key research streams include intergroup contact effects in India, pandemic economic impacts, capital allocation, gender dynamics in political institutions, and the effects of religious change. His work frequently appears in top economics journals including the American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, and Review of Economic Studies.

• CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar (2023-25)
• Faculty affiliate of J-PAL, CEGA, and BREAD

Lowe received his PhD from MIT in 2018 followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the briq Institute on Behavior and Inequality (2018-19). His current research explores intergroup relations in India, the health and economic effects of psychedelics, and the causes and consequences of religious change. He maintains active collaborations with researchers across multiple institutions and regularly secures funding for field experiments in developing countries.