News & insights
This special edition of the Public Paper series honors Kaspar Villiger’s visionary support for economics in society and his lasting impact on research in Zurich. Affiliated researchers at the UBS Center explore the big questions at the heart of today’s economic and societal transformations: From rising inequality, climate change, and the future of work to global trade tensions, misinformation, and the potential of artificial intelligence.
Dina Pomeranz’s research addresses two of the most pressing issues in development economics: improving tax capacity in low- and middle-income countries and managing the impacts of climate change. Her work bridges academic research and policy, focusing on practical solutions that foster sustainable economic growth and help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change. Explore how her research tackles these critical global challenges.
Dina Pomeranz’s research addresses two of the most pressing issues in development economics: improving tax capacity in low- and middle-income countries and managing the impacts of climate change. Her work bridges academic research and policy, focusing on practical solutions that foster sustainable economic growth and help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change. Explore how her research tackles these critical global challenges.
(Now former) WTO Chief Economist Ralph Ossa shares his insights into the evolving global trade landscape. As trade faces growing challenges, including rising protectionism and environmental concerns, Ossa argues that international trade remains a crucial tool for addressing global issues like climate change and economic inequality. In this article, he explores the need for strategic collaboration between policymakers and academics, the importance of understanding global dependencies, and the vital role of the WTO in shaping the future of trade.
(Now former) WTO Chief Economist Ralph Ossa shares his insights into the evolving global trade landscape. As trade faces growing challenges, including rising protectionism and environmental concerns, Ossa argues that international trade remains a crucial tool for addressing global issues like climate change and economic inequality. In this article, he explores the need for strategic collaboration between policymakers and academics, the importance of understanding global dependencies, and the vital role of the WTO in shaping the future of trade.
In his research, Andreas I. Mueller delves into the complexities of the labor market, addressing key issues such as the sharp rise in unemployment during recessions, persistent wage inequality among similar workers, and the effects of labor market policies. His work bridges macroeconomics and labor economics to offer new insights into how economic cycles, wage bargaining, and policy interventions shape employment outcomes. By exploring these unresolved questions, Mueller aims to develop more effective policies to manage labor market challenges and foster sustainable economic growth.
In his research, Andreas I. Mueller delves into the complexities of the labor market, addressing key issues such as the sharp rise in unemployment during recessions, persistent wage inequality among similar workers, and the effects of labor market policies. His work bridges macroeconomics and labor economics to offer new insights into how economic cycles, wage bargaining, and policy interventions shape employment outcomes. By exploring these unresolved questions, Mueller aims to develop more effective policies to manage labor market challenges and foster sustainable economic growth.
In 2019, outstanding young talent Maite Deambrosi was selected from several hundred applicants to the Zurich Graduate School of Economics as an UBS Center Scholarship holder. Now, she successfully defended her PhD thesis Misperceptions and Cognitive Biases in Economic Decision-Making: Evidence from Learning, Marriage Markets, and Health Investments. Congratulations, Dr. Deambrosi!
Maite's dissertation examines how misperceptions and biased beliefs affect economic decision-making across three critical domains: skill acquisition, relationship formation, and health investments. Using lab and field experiments, the research uncovers misperceptions that lead to suboptimal decisions in key life domains, including underinvestment in skills and gender inequality driven by mistaken beliefs about partner preferences. The findings provide insights for policy interventions to improve outcomes in education, public health, and labor markets.
Maite will join the Central European University in Vienna as a Postdoctoral Associate.
In the intersection of green innovation, technological progress, and inequality, macroeconomist Hémous identifies pressing challenges that remain unresolved. From the uncertain impact of green industrial policies and the political difficulties of carbon taxation to the uncertain effects of AI on inequality, these issues demand deeper analysis. Hémous explores the complexity of these topics, stressing the need for both theoretical and empirical approaches to guide future policy and foster sustainable innovation.
In the intersection of green innovation, technological progress, and inequality, macroeconomist Hémous identifies pressing challenges that remain unresolved. From the uncertain impact of green industrial policies and the political difficulties of carbon taxation to the uncertain effects of AI on inequality, these issues demand deeper analysis. Hémous explores the complexity of these topics, stressing the need for both theoretical and empirical approaches to guide future policy and foster sustainable innovation.