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Maria Padilla-Romo

Maria Padilla-Romo

Associate Professor, John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow

Phone 865-974-1698

Email mpadill3@utk.edu

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Location Room F104, Cherokee Mills, Suite 108

Department:

Economics

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Biography

Maria Padilla-Romo is the John Quincy and Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow and an associate professor of economics at Haslam. She is also a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and a research fellow at the Institute of Labor Economics. Her research interests include labor economics, development economics and economics of education. Padilla-Romo’s research explores how policy design may reduce inequality and improve the well-being of vulnerable populations. Her recent and current work focuses on evaluating the consequences of violence and full-time schooling on education, labor, crime and health outcomes.

Expertise:

Development Economics, Education, Labor Economics

Education:

2017 Texas A&M University, Ph.D., Economics

2009 Universidad de Guadalajara, M.A., Economics

2006 Universidad de Guadalajara, B.A., Mathematics

Awards/Honors
  • John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow (2025-2026)
  • John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow (2024-2025)
  • Finalist, Haslam College of Business Faculty Rising Star Researcher (May 2024)
  • John Quincy & Wanda Weems Wisecarver Faculty Research Fellow (2023-2024)
  • Finalist, Haslam College of Business Faculty Rising Star Researcher (May 2023)
  • Finalist, Haslam College of Business Diversity and Inclusion Award (May 2023)
  • Haslam Family Faculty Research Fellow (2022-2023)
  • Finalist, Haslam College of Business Faculty Rising Star Researcher (May 2022)
  • Finalist, Haslam College of Business Diversity and Inclusion Award (October 2022)
  • National System of Researchers (SNI), awarded by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT, 2020-2023)
  • Women Deliver 2019 Conference Scholarship (June 2019)
  • S. Charles Maurice Fellowship in Economics, awarded by the Department of Economics (Texas A&M University, 2016)
  • Graduate Student Research Award, presented by the Hispanic/Latino Graduate Student Association for work in Latino/a Education (Texas A&M University, April 2016)
  • Second Place Among Graduate Researchers, Oral Presentation at the Student Research Week (Texas A&M University, 2016)
  • Bradley Fellow, awarded by the Private Enterprise Research Center, Texas A&M University (2015-2016)
  • M. H. Webber Scholar, awarded by the Private Enterprise Research Center, Texas A&M University (Summer 2014)
  • Graduate Assistantship, awarded by the Department of Economics (Texas A&M University, 2012-2017)
  • M.A. Studies National Scholarship, awarded by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT), Mexico (2007-2009)
  • Outstanding Teacher (Secundaria Hermosa Provincia, May 2007)
  • Academic Excellence Award and Outstanding Student of the University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering (Universidad de Guadalajara, October 2006)
  • Third Best GPA of the class of 2006, B.A. in Mathematics (Universidad de Guadalajara, July 2006)
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Female Student in Mathematics (Universidad de Guadalajara, March 2006)
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