Frank Schilbach

Frank Schilbach is an Associate Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).12 He specializes in behavioral economics and development economics, with a focus on the intersection of poverty and economic behavior.23

Academic Background

Schilbach earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 2015.12 Prior to that, he studied at the University of Mannheim from 2003 to 2008.1

Career Progression

• Associate Professor at MIT Economics (July 2020 - Present)1
• Assistant Professor at MIT Economics (July 2015 - June 2020)1
• Econ Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University (September 2009 - May 2015)1

Research Focus

Schilbach's research explores the relationship between poverty and economic behavior, investigating factors such as:

• Mental distress
• Sleep deprivation
• Substance abuse
• Behavioral barriers to information diffusion in developing countries2

His work aims to integrate insights from psychology and related fields into development economics.2

Affiliations and Collaborations

Schilbach is involved with several research organizations:

• Faculty Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
• Faculty affiliate at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
• Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)
• Affiliate at the Bureau for Research and Economic Analysis of Development (BREAD)2

He also co-runs the Behavioral Development Lab in India with Gautam Rao and Heather Schofield.2

Online Presence

Schilbach maintains a professional presence on various platforms:

• LinkedIn: frank-schilbach-79b175111
• Twitter: @FrankSchilbach, where he describes himself as a "Behavioral and development economist @MIT studying poverty, sleep, alcohol, pain, mental health, and loneliness"4

Frank Schilbach's work contributes significantly to our understanding of the complex relationships between poverty, behavior, and economic outcomes in developing contexts.