Nicolás de Roux

Nicolás de Roux is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. He holds a PhD in Economics from Columbia University and an MA from Universidad de los Andes. His academic work focuses on applied microeconomics with a specialization in development economics, particularly examining firm behavior, financial inclusion, agricultural economics, and labor markets in developing countries. He actively contributes to the academic community as a co-organizer of the biweekly Virtual Development Seminar (VDEV/CEPR/BREAD).

De Roux's research interests center on understanding economic development challenges in the Global South, with particular emphasis on how weather shocks affect agricultural productivity, labor market power in developing economies, and the impacts of trade disruptions on firm performance. His interdisciplinary approach combines rigorous econometric methods with theoretical insights to address pressing development issues. His work demonstrates how microeconomic analysis can inform policy decisions that improve economic outcomes for vulnerable populations in developing countries.

His publications span multiple high-impact journals including the Journal of Labor Economics, The Review of Financial Studies, and Journal of Public Economics. De Roux's research demonstrates consistent focus on labor markets, agricultural productivity, and financial inclusion, with recent work examining how weather risk affects small farms, the extent of employer power in developing country labor markets, and how firms adapt to trade partner collapse. His research methodology typically combines detailed administrative data with innovative econometric approaches to establish causal relationships.

• Featured Economist Interview, International Economic Association (IEA), July 2025

De Roux has mentored numerous students through his teaching at Universidad de los Andes, where he teaches courses including Introduction to Mediation, Econometrics 1, and Haciendo Economía 1. His research collaborations extend across multiple institutions, working with economists from around the world including Giacomo De Giorgi, Garance Genicot, Gianmarco León-Ciliotta, and Eric Verhoogen. His work on academic tracking revealed the counterintuitive finding that students perform better when they're at the top of a lower-ability group rather than at the bottom of a higher-ability group, challenging conventional wisdom about educational tracking.

His research team includes collaborators working on projects examining internet access and banking competition in rural credit markets, as well as quality upgrading in the Colombian coffee sector. De Roux maintains an active presence in policy discussions through media outlets like VoxDev, World Bank blogs, and Colombian publications including Foco Económico and La República.