Toru Kitagawa

Toru Kitagawa is a Professor of Economics at Brown University, specializing in econometrics, causal inference, and policy analysis. His research focuses on developing quantitative methods for evidence-based policy decisions, with applications in labor, development, and environmental economics. He collaborates with global researchers on lab and field experiments to study human behavior and inform policy solutions.

Education:

• PhD and MA in Economics, Brown University (2009, 2004)
• BA in Engineering, University of Tokyo (2002)

Research Interests:

• Econometric theory and methods
• Statistical decision theory
• Bayesian analysis
• Experimental economics
• Policy evaluation and targeting

His work bridges theoretical econometrics and applied economics to address real-world policy challenges, emphasizing robust Bayesian methods and empirical welfare maximization.

Awards & Grants:

• Haavelmo Prize (2024) for best Econometrica paper
• Nakahara Prize (2023) for outstanding Japanese economist under 45
• NSF Grant (2024–2027), ERC Horizon 2020 Starting Grant

Affiliations:

• Research Staff, Center for Microdata Methods and Practice (Cemmap)
• Research Fellow, Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS)
• Researcher, Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale (Y-RISE)

Teaching:

• Graduate courses in econometrics (ECON 1630/1640)
• Applied economics and policy analysis (ECON 2020, 2040)