Experts

Benjamin M. Friedman is the William Joseph Maier Professor of Political Economy, and formerly chairman of the Department of Economics, at Harvard University. Much of his research and writing has focused on economic policy, and he has frequently advised both policymakers and candidates for public office on economic issues. His work has also addressed broader issues of the connections between economics and society. His most recent book is Religion and the Rise of Capitalism.

Professor Frijters is currently a Professor in Wellbeing Economics at the LSE, teaching the Masters Course in Wellbeing and Public Policy. He specializes in applied micro-econometrics, including labour, happiness, and health economics, though he has also worked on pure theoretical topics in macro and micro fields. Professor Frijters currently advises the UK government and others on how to implement wellbeing policies at the national and regional level.

Laura is an applied economist, working on topics related to education, health, and development economics. Currently, most of her research agenda is centred around the study of well-being and adolescents’ behaviour.

Jet is a behavioural scientist, trained in experimental psychology and real world implementation of laboratory evidence using randomised controlled trials in field to improve health and wellbeing on a population level. Currently she is focused on how everyday time perception affects risk tolerance, decision making and behaviour on a population level. Her research shows that the experiential fluctuation of weekly cycle influences our risk-taking behaviour, with serious consequences for health care,

Caitjan Gainty is a historian of 20th century health and healthcare. She is the PI of the Wellcome-funded project Healthy Scepticism, which reconsiders the role of evidence and expertise in medical knowledge-making processes, and her first book, in preparation, considers the early-twentieth century industrial origins of American healthcare. Her commitment to offering historical perspective on contemporary healthcare has recently led a series of articles on COVID-19.

Yannis Galanakis is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the School of Economics at the University of Kent. His research interests lie in Labour and Applied Economics. His recent work focuses on firm creation, mismatch and gender inequalities in the labour market.