Oriol Amat Salas is a Full Professor of Financial Economics and Accounting at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) and the UPF Barcelona School of Management. He previously served as Rector of UPF (2011-2015) and held leadership roles such as Dean of the College of Economists of Catalonia and President of the Associació Catalana de Comptabilitat i Direcció (ACCID). Education: Holds doctorate and graduate degrees in Social and Legal Sciences, Economics, and Management from UPF. Also completed a Master in Business Administration (MBA). Research focuses on financial fraud detection, venture capital dynamics, corporate governance, and sustainability in supply chains. He has published over 28 articles, 11 books/chapters, and contributed to policy advocacy through roles like Member of the National Securities Market Commission and the Generalitat de Catalunya's CAREC advisory council. Teaching and executive education: Designs courses on family business governance, controlling, and financial management. His resources include case studies on Wirecard, Theranos, and corporate scandals.
Christopher M. Federico is Professor of Political Science and Psychology at the University of Minnesota and holds the Arleen C. Carlson Professorship of American Government and Politics. He currently serves as President of the International Society of Political Psychology and was former Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for the Study of Political Psychology. His work bridges political science and psychology, focusing on ideology, political preferences, and intergroup relations. Ph.D.: Social Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 2001 M.A.: Social Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1996 B.A.: Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, 1995 Professor Federico’s research explores the psychological underpinnings of political ideology, emphasizing how personality, identity, and cognitive needs shape partisan preferences and intergroup dynamics. His work integrates quantitative methods to analyze polarization, authoritarianism, and collective narcissism. Recent studies examine anti-democratic attitudes among partisans, misinformation about critical race theory, and the role of affective polarization in political behavior. His recent publications highlight trends in political psychology, including experimental approaches to understanding moral foundations, the impact of epistemic motivation on policy preferences, and the intersection of religiosity and nationalism in Poland. These works reflect a focus on ideological asymmetry, psychological drivers of polarization, and the contextual factors influencing political behavior. 2007 Erik Erikson Award for Early Career Achievements (International Society of Political Psychology) 2007 Roberta Sigel Junior Scholar Paper Award (International Society of Political Psychology) 2009 Morton Deutsch Award (International Society for Justice Research) 2018 David O. Sears Book Award (International Society of Political Psychology) for Open Versus Closed As a leading figure in political psychology, Federico has co-authored foundational texts like Open Versus Closed: Personality, Identity, and the Politics of Redistribution (2017) and co-edited volumes honoring pioneers in the field. His research has been supported by extensive grants and collaborations, influencing debates on democratic citizenship, economic policy preferences, and the psychological roots of political polarization.
Charles M. Clark is a Professor of Economics and Senior Fellow at the Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John's University. He holds a B.A. from Fordham University and M.A./Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research. His research focuses on basic income policies, poverty, income inequality, Catholic social thought, and the Irish economy. He has authored numerous books, including *The Basic Income Guarantee* (2002) and edited volumes on political economy and social value. Dr. Clark has served as Chair of the Department of Economics and Finance and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs. He is a past President of the Association for Evolutionary Economics and has lectured globally. His work extends to consulting on fiscal policy, labor contracts, and social welfare reforms. Education: B.A., Economics, Fordham University M.A. and Ph.D., History of Economic Thought & Industrial Organization, New School for Social Research His research interests bridge economic theory and social ethics, with notable contributions to alternative economic metrics and global poverty reduction strategies. He has held visiting professorships at University College Cork and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. As an Advisor to the Holy See’s UN Mission, he addressed the 2009 Financial Crisis High-Level Meetings. His interdisciplinary approach integrates Catholic social teachings with contemporary economic challenges, as seen in his 2015 *Horizons* article on Pope Francis’ economic visions. Awards: 246th in 2006 Real World Economics Review poll of “Greatest 20th Century Economists” (tied with Nobel Laureates) Dr. Clark teaches courses on economic history, poverty, and institutional economics. He has over 150 publications and 90 professional presentations. His current roles include editorial work for *History of Economic Ideas* and advocacy for equitable economic policies.
Marcel Fratzscher serves as President of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) and Professor of Macroeconomics at Humboldt University of Berlin. He holds membership on the Advisory Board of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and maintains a prominent public presence as a columnist for Zeit Online, Financial Times, and Project Syndicate. His research spans macroeconomics, financial markets, economic inequality, European integration, monetary policy, and gender distribution. Fratzscher critically examines the social market economy, focusing on how economic policies affect inequality across demographic groups. His expertise includes pension systems, labor market dynamics, migration economics, and climate policy impacts on industry. His approach combines rigorous academic analysis with practical policy recommendations, often challenging conventional wisdom in economic discourse. Fratzscher's recent publications reveal a consistent thematic focus on economic inequality and social justice. His articles analyze paradoxical trends like falling wage inequality alongside rising overall income inequality, discrimination in the workplace (including weight-based discrimination), and the economic costs of social issues like crime fear and gender-based violence. He consistently advocates for policy reforms in pension systems, minimum wage structures, migration policy, and housing markets. As an advisor and public intellectual, Fratzscher bridges academic research and policy implementation. His recommendations often challenge conventional wisdom, such as his arguments against the notion that migration is economically costly or that minimum wage increases necessarily harm employment. He has proposed innovative solutions like the 'Boomer solidarity tax' to address old-age poverty without burdening younger generations. Fratzscher leads DIW Berlin, one of Germany's premier economic research institutions, where he oversees research on critical economic and social issues facing Germany and Europe. The institute's Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) provides longitudinal data that informs much of his research on inequality and social dynamics. Under his leadership, DIW Berlin continues to shape economic policy debates through evidence-based analysis and forward-looking recommendations.
Prof. Dr. Alfons J. Weichenrieder is a Professor of Economics and Public Finance at Goethe University Frankfurt . His research focuses on international corporate taxation, fiscal federalism, public debt, redistribution policies, and tax morality. He serves on multiple advisory boards including the German Ministry of Finance and Leibniz ScienceCampus MaTax . As Managing Editor of FinanzArchiv , he contributes to public finance analysis. Education : Habilitation (2001) and Ph.D. (1995) from University of Munich Research Themes : Tax havens, EU fiscal policy, corporate tax incentives, environmental FDI interactions His recent work explores pro-rich inflation dynamics , green dividend mechanisms , and taxation-induced capital distortions . Collaborative projects span institutions like Oxford University , Norwegian School of Economics , and Deutsche Bundesbank . Scientific Recognition Top-100 German researcher in economics & finance (RESEARCH.COM, 2025) International Research Fellow, Oxford CBT CESifo Research Fellow Member, Norwegian Center for Taxation
Axel West Pedersen is a Professor at the Department of Social Sciences within the Faculty of Social Sciences , Oslo Metropolitan University. He holds a joint position between OsloMet and the Norwegian Social Research (NOVA) Institute . His work focuses on pension systems, welfare state research, income distribution, and aging-related policy challenges. Core Research Areas: Pension system development, welfare opinion analysis, income inequality, poverty studies, and ecological adaptation of welfare states. Active Projects: Sustainable Wellbeing Through Investment in Social Services (SWINS), Crisis Management and Governance in Nordic Local Democracies (POLYGOV), and Flexible Retirement Pathways analysis. Past Projects: WEST Project analyzing eco-social state transitions, Pension System Legitimacy (PensionLAB), and Children's Living Conditions research. Pedersen's recent publications examine psychosocial work environments for elderly workers, universal basic income debates, and housing allowance equity. He contributes to policy discussions about welfare state sustainability, particularly regarding aging populations and climate change challenges. Contact: axel.pedersen@oslomet.no
Michele Geraci is an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Visiting Professor of Finance and Economics at New York University Shanghai , with additional affiliations as Honorary Professor at Peking University. His work bridges academic research with policy-oriented analysis in critical global economic and geopolitical domains.
Dr. Julia Swart is an Assistant Professor of Economic Sustainability at Utrecht University's Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance, specifically within the Department of Economics. She is also a board team member of the interdisciplinary Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) bachelor program at Utrecht University. Her academic home is the Utrecht University School of Economics, where she contributes to research within the Institutions for Open Societies (IOS) and Pathways to Sustainability (PtS) frameworks, particularly the PtS - Future Food Utrecht initiative. Dr. Swart holds a PhD in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam and Tinbergen Institute, with her thesis titled 'Natural Resources and the Environment: Implications for Economic Development and International Relations.' She also earned an MPhil in Economics from the Tinbergen Institute and an MSc in Economics from the University of São Paulo. During her doctoral studies, she was a visiting scholar at Oxford University's OxCarre. Her research focuses on the intersection of international economics, development economics, and environmental economics, particularly examining how climate change impacts socio-economic outcomes such as economic growth, well-being, and employment. She also investigates necessary adaptation investments to mitigate climate-related costs. Her work on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) explores how it contributes to development in countries, particularly in Latin America and Brazil, and its environmental impacts. She has also conducted research on Social Technologies, Economic Complexity, and Climate Change Control. Dr. Swart's publication record shows a consistent focus on sustainability, development, and environmental economics across numerous high-impact journals. Her work spans theoretical and applied research, with strong policy implications. She has published on topics including climate change mitigation technologies, sustainable oceans, green investment, FDI in developing contexts, and the relationship between economic complexity and sustainability. She has earned teaching qualifications including the Senior University Teaching Qualification (SKO) in April 2021 and the Basic University Teaching Qualification (BKO) in June 2018. She has supervised 10 bachelor theses and 18 master theses, demonstrating her commitment to student development. Dr. Swart has been actively involved in multiple research projects including 'Gaming for Change' aimed at increasing sustainability knowledge among students, the Delta Climate Center focusing on 'Flexible deltas: nature-based solutions,' and the Signature Project on 'Tackling gender inequality and sustainability in agribusiness' where she serves as Research Leader. She has also contributed to the 'Zero Footprint Campus' initiative and collaborated on the 'Shapes of Thinking' project with the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
Franca Glenzer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Finance at HEC Montréal and holds the title of CIRANO Fellow. She specializes in financial decision-making over the lifecycle, focusing on pensions, long-term care insurance, and risk management. Her work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Public Economics, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, and Geneva Risk and Insurance Review. Education: Dr. rer. pol. (Ph.D. equivalent in Finance) from Goethe University Frankfurt M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Business Administration from Humboldt University Berlin Research & Awards: Her research explores behavioral economics in policy design, post-pandemic savings behaviors, and insurer solvency. She was recently named a CIRANO Fellow, reflecting her contributions to applied economics. Current research is forthcoming. Teaching: She instructs courses including Basic Corporate Finance and Insurance at HEC Montréal. Advising: Supervised two MSc projects (2023–2024) focusing on insurance modeling and travel insurance analysis. Currently seeking a thesis student for UX/finance research.
Stephanie Rennane is a Senior Economist at RAND and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. Her work bridges labor and health economics with a focus on disability policy, social insurance, and military compensation. She leads major research initiatives funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and contributes to critical policy evaluations for the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. Her research interests center on the economic and social impacts of disability programs, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), workers’ compensation, and Medicaid. She specializes in analyzing how these programs affect vulnerable populations, particularly children with special health care needs, low-SES families, and military personnel. Her work explores disparities in caregiver burden, insurance coverage, and access to workplace accommodations. The trends in her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on health and labor policy, with increasing attention to military compensation, food insecurity in military families, and systemic reform in disability evaluation. Her research combines rigorous econometric analysis with policy-relevant insights, often using administrative and survey data to assess program effectiveness and equity. Scientific Awards: None listed in the provided text. As a principal investigator on multiple NIMHD and DoD-related grants, Rennane plays a leading role in advising on public policy. Her research has informed congressional inquiries and federal program evaluations. She has not disclosed any formal students or advisees in the material provided. She is involved in research teams at RAND focused on disability policy, military health, and social safety nets. Her work often involves collaboration with interdisciplinary teams analyzing large-scale datasets and evaluating the cost and impact of public programs.
Yu-Ling Chang is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Social Welfare. Her research examines the relationships between poverty, inequality, and social safety net programs, with a focus on welfare-to-work systems, unemployment insurance reforms, and cross-national comparisons of social protection policies. She has secured significant grants from institutions like the Administration for Children and Families and the Upjohn Institute. PhD in Social Welfare from the University of Washington (2016) MSW and BSW from National Taiwan University Her work spans U.S. state-level policy analysis and global collaborations with institutions in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Switzerland. Key themes include racial equity in CalWORKs, gendered impacts of unemployment insurance, and the role of financial capability in poverty reduction. She has published extensively on post-Great Recession welfare dynamics and cross-state/federal policy variations. Recent research explores unconditional basic income (UBI) in Taiwan and the U.S., ecosocial policies addressing climate change, and pandemic-era welfare reforms. Her scholarly contributions have been recognized with awards such as the Hellman Fellows Fund and the Upjohn Institute’s Early Career Research Award. Keynote speaker at the Global Welfare Regime Project (2023) Advisor for peer-reviewed journals and conferences Active in professional networks including the East Asian Social Policy Research Network and Scholars Strategy Network
José Luis Rey Pérez is a Professor at Universidad Pontificia Comillas, specializing in human rights, social justice, and disability law. His research examines welfare state sustainability, basic income models, and discrimination frameworks. Recent publications analyze ageism (2024) and vulnerability in human rights theory (2023). He coordinates policy-focused projects on income guarantees and disability employment. His 2018 monograph 'Los derechos de los animales en serio' established a framework for non-human legal personhood.
Miranda Perry Fleischer is a Professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, serving as the Richard and Kaye Woltman Professor in Finance and Herzog Endowed Scholar. She holds an LLM from New York University School of Law, a JD from the University of Chicago Law School, and a BA from Duke University. LLM, New York University School of Law (2003) JD, University of Chicago Law School (1996) BA, Duke University (1993) Her research focuses on tax law, charitable giving, universal basic income, and wealth redistribution. She has published extensively on topics including dynastic wealth transfers , libertarian perspectives on basic income , and the morality of charitable bequests . Her work bridges legal scholarship with political philosophy and economic policy. Miranda Perry Fleischer has received multiple honors, including: University Professor (2020-2021) Thorsnes Prize for Excellence in Teaching (2014-2015) Provost’s Achievement Award (University of Colorado, 2011) Herzog Endowed Scholar (2024-2025, 2017-2018) She previously practiced estate planning at Shaw Pittman LLP and litigated for the Institute for Justice. Her scholarly work appears in journals such as Southern California Law Review and University of Chicago Law Review .
Juhyun Bae is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). She earned her Ph.D. in Public Affairs from the Truman School of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, following a Master's and Bachelor's in Public Administration from Yonsei University (South Korea). Prior to academia, she worked as a project researcher at the Korean Women’s Development Institute (KWDI). Her research focuses on welfare states, social welfare policy, and public opinion, particularly addressing labor market inequality and policy solutions for precarious non-standard workers like app-based gig workers. She emphasizes redesigning social security systems to enhance job security for these vulnerable groups. Teaching experience spans undergraduate and graduate courses at UTRGV and the University of Missouri, including Public Policy Analysis, Research Methods, and Public Administration. She has received strong student feedback for her ability to clarify complex concepts and provide constructive feedback. Her publications explore topics such as basic income policy diffusion, pandemic unemployment assistance impacts, and gig economy labor market dynamics. She holds an Online Teaching Certificate from the University of Missouri and has presented methodological workshops on econometric techniques like TWFE Staggered DID.
Jukka Pirttilä is a Professor of Public Economics at the University of Helsinki, specifically within the Department of Political and Economic Studies in the Faculty of Social Sciences. He also holds affiliations as a researcher at the VATT Institute for Economic Research, a Senior Non-Resident Research Fellow at the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER), and a Fellow at CESifo. He serves as Deputy Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Tax Systems Research (FIT), reflecting his leadership in national research initiatives. His research interests are centered on public economics , with a strong focus on optimal taxation , empirical analysis of tax systems , and the intersection of taxation and social protection in developing countries . His work spans labor economics, development economics, behavioral public finance, and inequality, often employing microsimulation and empirical econometric methods to evaluate policy impacts. His recent publications (2022–2024) reflect a consistent trend in analyzing tax and benefit systems in both developed and developing contexts. Key themes include migration and tax policy in Finland, tax-benefit microsimulation in the Global South, top income taxation in emerging economies, and youth activation programs. His work frequently involves cross-country collaborations and leverages large-scale administrative and survey data to assess policy effectiveness, equity, and efficiency. Fellow of CESifo Senior Non-Resident Research Fellow at UNU-WIDER Deputy Director of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Tax Systems Research (FIT) Pirttilä has supervised and collaborated with numerous researchers, though specific advisees are not listed in the provided text. His work has been supported by major research centers such as VATT, CESifo, and UNU-WIDER. He is actively involved in policy-relevant research, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (e.g., South Africa, Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia), assessing tax reforms, social protection programs, and fiscal policy impacts. He maintains a research blog at the University of Helsinki and has a highly active publication record, with over 47 papers announced in NEP (New Economics Papers) across fields like Public Economics, Public Finance, Development, and Labor Economics. His research is widely recognized, placing him among the top 5% of authors in RePEc based on output and co-authorship networks.
