Meltem Daysal

Meltem Daysal is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Social Sciences. She is also a member of the Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI) and holds research fellowships at both IZA and CESifo. Her work bridges health economics and labor economics, focusing on critical policy issues related to medical interventions, child development, and wealth distribution.

Dr. Daysal received her academic training with a BA in Economics from Bogazici University in 2003, followed by a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2009. Her educational background provided the foundation for her interdisciplinary research approach that combines economic theory with empirical analysis of large administrative datasets.

Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of health and labor economics. Daysal investigates how health shocks affect families and how medical interventions can mitigate these effects, with particular focus on child development and early-life medical care. She also examines the economic consequences of housing wealth distribution across generations. Much of her research utilizes register data and natural experiments to identify causal relationships, contributing significantly to evidence-based policy discussions in both health and economic domains.

Daysal's publication record reveals a consistent focus on using rigorous empirical methods to address pressing social issues. Her work spans multiple subfields including child health economics, intergenerational mobility, medical interventions, and the economic impacts of health policies. A notable trend is her use of Danish administrative data to examine questions with international relevance, demonstrating how specific national contexts can inform broader economic understanding.

Among her professional honors and contributions:

• Member of the Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI)
• Research Fellow at IZA (Institute of Labor Economics)
• Research Fellow at CESifo
• Associate Editor at the Journal of Health Economics (2025-)

Dr. Daysal actively contributes to the academic community through her editorial work and research collaborations. Her research often involves interdisciplinary teams and has attracted attention from policy makers, as evidenced by references in policy sources. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the provided materials, her extensive use of administrative data suggests collaborations with government agencies and research institutions that typically require significant funding support.

As part of the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen, Daysal contributes to a vibrant research environment focused on economic behavior and inequality. Her affiliation with CEBI places her work within a broader context of research examining how economic factors influence human behavior and societal outcomes, particularly in areas related to health and wellbeing.