Mayra Pineda-Torres

Mayra Pineda-Torres is an Assistant Professor in the School of Economics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, affiliated with NBER and IZA. She holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Texas A&M University (2022) and a B.A. in Economics from ITAM (2015). Her research focuses on health, labor, and gender economics, particularly examining how reproductive healthcare policies impact women’s and teenagers’ welfare. Key areas include the long-term effects of 1960s-70s contraception/abortion policies, modern TRAP regulations, and the interplay between educational access and fertility rates.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Economics, Texas A&M University (2022)
• B.A. in Economics, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), Mexico (2015)

Research Interests:

• Healthcare access disparities in rural/underserved areas
• Reproductive rights and policy impacts
• Teen fertility reduction through educational expansion
• Connections between abortion access and intimate partner violence

Notable Awards:

• 2020 IWPR Doctoral Fellow in Economics & Reproductive Health

Teaching: Courses include ECON 4510 (Health Economics), ECON 4699 (Undergraduate Research), and ECON 4803 (Economics of Risky Behaviors). She emphasizes understanding course material beyond grades, drawing from her own academic journey.

Affiliations:

• National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Faculty Research Fellow
• IZA Institute of Labor Economics Research Affiliate