ECON Professor Sergio Urzua Named Chile’s 2022 ‘Economist of the Year’

Chile has named University of Maryland Department of Economics Professor Sergio Urzua its 2022 “Economist of the Year,” a distinction annually awarded to an economist with Chilean roots whose peers believe well-represents the top of their field.

"Everyone in the department is thrilled that Sergio has received this award,” said Andrew Sweeting, Professor and Chair of UMD’s Department of Economics. “Sergio is a perfect example of how scholars doing careful, and sometimes very technical, research can have a real impact on critical public policies that can affect generations to come." 

Urzua—who is also a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Research Fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), and International Research Fellow at the Latin American Center for Economic and Social Policies (Clapes-UC)—was born and raised in Chile. He received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Chile in 2000, promptly followed by his M.A. in Economics in 2001, before coming to the United States to pursue a second master’s degree in Economics from the University of Chicago. 

Urzua has mostly remained in the U.S. ever since his initial arrival in Chicago. He earned his U.S. M.A. in 2003, and his Ph.D. in Economics, also from the University of Chicago, in 2007. After three years of teaching at Northwestern University, not long after Chile’s 2010 earthquake, Urzua returned to the country to serve a one-year term as its Head of Labor Affairs.

“It was a fascinating year, both for the work done and for the team,” Urzua told El Mercurio, a Chilean newspaper whose coverage area includes Urzua’s hometown of Maipú. 

When Urzua returned to the United States, he returned as a member of the UMD faculty; a title he has gratefully held for more than a decade.

"Chile has produced a large number of top-notch economists, many with distinguished academic careers in the U.S., so being awarded Chile's Economist of 2022 is a great honor. But I have to admit this prestigious award came as a surprise,” explained Urzua. “Although my ties with Chile remain intact, I have spent most of my professional career at the University of Maryland. I have been lucky to be surrounded by fantastic colleagues and thought-provoking students at UMD, crucial inputs behind this award.”

Published on Wed, Jan 18, 2023 - 12:44PM