Orhan Torul

Orhan Torul is an Associate Professor of Economics at Boğaziçi University's Department of Economics since April 2022, with prior roles as Assistant Professor (2013-2022) and Visiting Assistant Professor at University of Oslo (2017). His research focuses on macroeconomics, economic inequality, political economy, public policy, and applied econometrics, with significant contributions to understanding Turkey's inequality dynamics. He has received multiple awards including Boğaziçi University Outstanding Achievement in Research Award (2023), Science Academy BAGEP Award (2023), and Fulbright Visiting Scholars Fellowship (2021-2022).

• Education
  • Ph.D. in Economics (2013), University of Maryland, College Park
  • M.A. in Economics (2011), University of Maryland, College Park
  • M.A. in Economics (2009), Boğaziçi University
  • B.S. in Business Administration (2006), Middle East Technical University

His research has produced 15+ peer-reviewed publications analyzing Turkey's economic inequality patterns (income, wealth, consumption), intergenerational mobility, labor market heterogeneity, and policy implications. Key findings include Turkey having Europe's highest income inequality and second-highest global wealth inequality in 2014, with significant welfare costs equivalent to 25-43% permanent consumption loss. His computational work demonstrates the value of heterogeneous-agent models in capturing Turkey's economic reality.

• Scientific Contributions
  • Developed modified Aiyagari model for Turkey's inequality analysis
  • Documented sector-specific income trajectory patterns
  • Quantified welfare costs of inequality
  • Established link between minimum wage growth and inequality reduction
  • Provided microfoundations for macroeconomic policy analysis

Torul has secured multiple Boğaziçi University BAP research grants including Standard BAP Project #20050 (2024-2025) on wealth dynamics, Standard BAP Project #13920 (2018-2019) on intergenerational mobility, and Start-Up BAP Project #9081 (2014-2017) on inequality measurement. His work continues to inform Turkish policymaking through empirical analyses of labor income heterogeneity, consumption patterns, and wealth distribution.