BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Alberto Ortega, an assistant professor at the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, has earned an appointment to the National Bureau of Economic Research as a Faculty Research fellow.
Ortega, a quantitative public policy researcher, became a member of the O’Neill School in 2019 and was chosen as one of 54 faculty research fellows by the NBER. These selections are determined through recommendations from directors of the organization's 19 research programs, who work in conjunction with steering committees of distinguished scholars. Faculty research fellows are appointed by the NBER president, with the organization currently consisting of 347 such fellows across the country.
“Being appointed as an NBER Faculty Research Fellow allows me to advance my research by engaging and collaborating with prominent scholars in my field,” Ortega said. “This appointment provides the opportunity for my work to reach a broader audience and have a greater impact on public policy.”
Ortega’s use of quasi-experimental methods to provide insights into public policies that hold the promise of improving health and well-being of resource-constrained and marginalized individuals will pertain to the NBER’s program on Economics of Health. The program analyzes the economic determinants of health, healthcare market operations, and financing with core interests including health capital determinants and the impact of public policies on healthcare delivery and innovation.
The NBER consists of a community of more than 1,700 economists holding primary positions at colleges and universities across North America. As a private, nonpartisan entity, it conducts research and examination into critical economic matters, releasing over 1,200 working papers and hosting over 120 conferences each year.
“The faculty at the O’Neill School consistently make an impact on public policy, allowing us to shape the world around us,” said Siân Mooney, dean of the O’Neill School. “We’re extremely proud of Alberto’s appointment and look forward to the influence he will have in this incredibly important field.”