Dr. Ada Gonzalez-Torres

​​Department of Economics
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

​My life before BGU:

I was born in Madrid, Spain. I've led an itinerant life from a young age, mostly in Europe, with a couple of years in Australia, and always in German international schools. I studied Economics and Law at Universidad Carlos III in Madrid, with an exchange year in Pantheon-Sorbonne, Paris. I did my master's in Economics at Toulouse School of Economics funded by a scholarship from Obra Social 'La Caixa', and my PhD at the European University Institute in Florence, spending the last three years of my doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley as a Visiting Research Scholar.  

​

My research: 

My research is on development and political economy, with an empirical focus on Africa. My current research examines the nexus between conflict, epidemic diseases, institutions and culture, as well as the effects of media.  
​

Why BGU: 

BGU is one of the best academic institutions I could wish for: it is not only excellent academically, but it also provides an open, friendly environment and I found synergy with the faculty in Economics, as well as in other departments.

An insight from my research: 

Development economics is leading the way in applied economic research, making it a standard to spend time in the place you are studying, requiring data collection in-site and often also field experiments. "There is power in proximity," and a need to “get close to the problem you feel drawn to," as American lawyer Bryan Stevenson would say. 

Something that doesn't appear on my CV:  

I did oil painting for over 12 years and art is still one of my passions. 

A source of inspiration: 

Rita Levi-Montalcini, Ada Lovelace, Rosa Parks. 

When I grow up:

I wanted to travel, learn, and give something back to the world. I still do.

If I wasn't a researcher I would be:

an artist or a neuroscientist.

​ 

​לכתבה ​ב​עברית

Meet other researchers who joined us this year »