ABOUT
What we do at the Social Economics Lab
Founder and Director
Stefanie Stantcheva
Stefanie Stantcheva is the Nathaniel Ropes Professor of Political Economy at Harvard. She studies the taxation of firms and individuals, as well as how people understand, perceive, and form their attitudes towards public policies. Her work has centered around the long-lasting effects of tax policy – on innovation, education, and wealth. Recent research topics include how R&D policies can be improved to foster innovation, how income and corporate taxes have shaped innovation over the 20th century, and how student loans can be structured to improve access to education. She has also explored people’s attitudes towards taxation, health care, immigration policies, environmental policies, and social mobility using large-scale Social Economics Surveys and Experiments.
Stefanie received her Ph.D. in Economics from MIT in 2014 and was a junior fellow at the Harvard Society of Fellows 2014-2016 before joining the Harvard Department of Economics. She currently is co-editor at the Quarterly Journal of Economics and a member of the French Council of Economic Advisers (Conseil d’Analyse Economique).
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Our Team
Research Fellows
Alberto Binetti
Originally from Naples (Italy), Alberto is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, after graduating from a B.Sc. in International Economics and Finance (Econ Major).
Aside from economics, he enjoys skiing and chess.
He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since August 2022.
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Filippo Giorgis
Originally from Turin (Italy), Filippo is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, where he also graduated from a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences in 2022. From January to May 2022, he was an exchange student at the University of British Columbia.
Aside from economics, he enjoys cinema and playing tennis.
He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since July 2023.
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Alfonso Merendino
Originally from Palermo (Italy), Alfonso is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, after graduating from a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi in 2022. Also, from January to May 2022, he was an exchange student at New York University.
Aside from economics, he plays golf.
He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since August 2023.
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Rajvir Batra
Rajvir, originally from India, earned his BA in Economics with a secondary in government from Harvard University in 2023. He now works as a strategic consultant in Washington DC. He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since September 2023. His areas of interest include survey research design, political economy, inequality, and the economics of social mobility.
CONTACT
Alberto Binetti
Originally from Naples (Italy), Alberto is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, after graduating from a B.Sc. in International Economics and Finance (Econ Major).
Aside from economics, he enjoys skiing and chess.
He started working as a research assistant for Professor Stantcheva in August 2022.
CONTACT
Filippo Giorgis
Originally from Turin (Italy), Filippo is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, where he also graduated from a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences in 2022. From January to May 2022, he was an exchange student at the University of British Columbia.
Aside from economics, he enjoys cinema and playing tennis.
He is working as a research assistant for Professor Stantcheva since July 2023.
CONTACT
Alfonso Merendino
Originally from Palermo (Italy), Alfonso is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University, after graduating from a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi in 2022. Also, from January to May 2022, he was an exchange student at New York University.
Aside from economics, he plays golf.
He is working as research assistant for professor Stantcheva since August 2023.
CONTACT
Rajvir Batra
Rajvir, originally from India, earned his BA in Economics with a secondary in government from Harvard University in 2023. He now works as a strategic consultant in Washington DC. Since September 2023, he's also been a research assistant for Professor Stantacheva. His areas of interest include survey research design, political economy, inequality, and the economics of social mobility.
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PhD Candidates
Roberto Colarieti
Originally from Rome (Italy), Roberto Colarieti obtained a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University.
He is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University. He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since November 2020.
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Beatrice Ferrario
Originally from Milan (Italy), Beatrice Ferrario received a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University. She has been working with the Social Economics Lab since the Spring of 2020.
As part of the Social Economics Lab, she worked on the data collection and analysis of the project "Understanding Economics."
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Pierfrancesco Mei
Pierfrancesco is a PhD Candidate in Economics at Harvard University. He is a Research Fellow in the Social Economics Lab, where he worked on the Immigration and Redistribution, Race and Redistribution in the US, and Understanding Economics projects.
Before joining Harvard, he obtained a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan.
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Sahil Chinoy
Sahil is a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Harvard University. He is interested in political economy and U.S. history, and has contributed to the Social Economics Lab's work on zero-sum thinking and its policy implications.
Before Harvard, he studied economics and physics at UC Berkeley and worked as a graphics editor at The New York Times.
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Roberto Colarieti
Originally from Rome (Italy), Roberto Colarieti obtained a B.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University.
He is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences at Bocconi University and he is working as research assistant for Professor Stantcheva since November 2020.
CONTACT
Beatrice Ferrario
Originally from Milan (Italy), Beatrice Ferrario received a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University. As of Spring 2020, she is working as research assistant for Professor Stantcheva.
As part of the Social Economics Lab, she worked on the data collection and analysis of the project "Understanding Economics."
CONTACT
Pierfrancesco Mei
Pierfrancesco is a PhD Candidate in Economics at Harvard University. He is a Research Fellow in the Social Economics Lab, where he worked on the Immigration and Redistribution, Race and Redistribution in the US, and Understanding Economics projects.
Before joining Harvard, he obtained a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Economics from Bocconi University in Milan.
CONTACT
Francesco Nuzzi
Originally from Rome (Italy), Francesco is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University. Before ESS, he obtained a B.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences from Bocconi in 2020. Also, from January to May 2020, he was an exchange student at Princeton University.
He has been working with the Social Economics Lab since August 2021.
CONTACT
Matteo Ferroni
Matteo Ferroni is an Economics Ph.D. Candidate at Boston University. Originally from Milan (Italy), he received a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University.
He joined the Social Economics Lab in 2016 as a Research Fellow for the “Intergenerational Mobility and Support for Redistribution” project. He is currently working on the “Race and Redistribution in the United States” project.
He is also independently working on a project aimed at measuring people’s attitudes towards corruption.
CONTACT
Kelsey Pukelis
Kelsey Pukelis is a PhD Candidate in Public Policy at Harvard University and an empirical public economist studying U.S. social safety net policy. She is currently working on an independent project using surveys to understand the stigma associated with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. She is advised by Professor Stantcheva.
Prior to graduate school, Kelsey earned a B.A. from Northwestern University and served as a full-time research assistant at the University of Virginia.
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Shreya Tandon
Shreya is a PhD candidate in political economy and government at Harvard University. She
studies labor market frictions, women’s labor market outcomes, migration, and tax
administration, with a focus on developing countries.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, India and an MSc. in
Economics from LSE. Before joining Harvard, she worked as a research assistant at the
Princeton Program in Public Economics.
CONTACT
Sahil Chinoy
Sahil is a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Harvard University. He is interested in political economy and U.S. history, and has contributed to the Social Economics Lab's work on zero-sum thinking and its policy implications.
Before Harvard, he studied economics and physics at UC Berkeley and worked as a graphics editor at The New York Times.
CONTACT
Francesco Nuzzi
Originally from Rome (Italy), Francesco is currently enrolled in a M.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences (ESS) at Bocconi University. Before ESS, he obtained a B.Sc. in Economic and Social Sciences from Bocconi in 2020. Also, from January to May 2020, he was an exchange student at Princeton University.
He is working as research assistant for Professor Stantcheva since August 2021.
CONTACT
Matteo Ferroni
Matteo Ferroni is an Economics Ph.D. Candidate at Boston University. Originally from Milan (Italy), he received a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in Economics and Social Sciences from Bocconi University.
He joined the Social Economics Lab in 2016 as a Research Fellow for the “Intergenerational Mobility and Support for Redistribution” project. He is currently working on the “Race and Redistribution in the United States” project.
He is also independently working on a project aimed at measuring people’s attitudes towards corruption.
CONTACT
Eu-Wayne Mok
Originally from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Eu-Wayne received a BA in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a MA in International and Development Economics from Yale University.
He has been working as a research assistant for Professor Stantcheva since July 2023.
CONTACT
Kelsey Pukelis
Kelsey Pukelis is a PhD Candidate in Public Policy at Harvard University and an empirical public economist studying U.S. social safety net policy. She is currently working on an independent project using surveys to understand the stigma associated with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. She is advised by Professor Stantcheva.
Prior to graduate school, Kelsey earned a B.A. from Northwestern University and served as a full-time research assistant at the University of Virginia.
CONTACT
Shreya Tandon
Shreya is a PhD candidate in political economy and government at Harvard University. She
studies labor market frictions, women’s labor market outcomes, migration, and tax
administration, with a focus on developing countries.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, India and an MSc. in
Economics from LSE. Before joining Harvard, she worked as a research assistant at the
Princeton Program in Public Economics.
CONTACT
Selected Research
You can also send your CV to us using the form below. Please also specify your interests, timeline, and availability and whether you are looking for a full-time or part-time position. We we will contact you when there’s a suitable open position. Thank you!
