Rocio Madera

Rocio Madera is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at Southern Methodist University (SMU). She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and an MSc in Economics from CEMFI (Spain). Her research focuses on Macroeconomics, Household Finance, and Labor Economics, with particular emphasis on quantitative models analyzing household responses to income volatility and policy interventions during economic downturns. She examines topics such as unemployment risks, consumption dynamics, and the design of public policies like income-contingent loans for higher education.

• Education: Ph.D. University of Minnesota; MSc CEMFI (Spain)

Her research agenda includes measuring household exposure to unexpected income changes, evaluating the effectiveness of government policies in mitigating earnings drops during recessions, and studying labor market regulations. Recent work explores correlated income risks within households and the socioeconomic impacts of urban tourism in Barcelona.

Her publications span topics such as nonlinear consumption responses to income shocks, self-employment risk dynamics, and university financing sustainability. Teaching includes Macroeconomics at both undergraduate and PhD levels.