Academic Staff
Ms Delphine AllanHIDA Survey Research Support Officer |
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Dr Maxim Ananyev
Senior Research Fellow
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Dr Ananyev is a Senior Research Fellow and Data Scientist/Analyst, applying causal inference, computational social science, and data methods to political economy. He earned a PhD in Political Science and an MSc in Statistics from UCLA (2018), an MA in Economics, and a BSc in Physics from Novosibirsk State University. |
Phone number +61 3 9035 8347 Email Email Maxim Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Ms Harshita BhatiaFoundation Fellow |
Harshita Bhatia is a Foundation Fellow driven to make the world more equitable using data-driven insights. She currently supports two research teams – Disadvantage and Wellbeing in the Asia-Pacific, and HILDA. She has extensive experience using primary, micro and spatial data for varied economic analysis. | |
Associate Professor Ferdi BothaPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Botha is a Principal Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute. His research focuses on the economics of mental health and wellbeing more generally, including financial- and subjective wellbeing. By means of academic and engagement activities, he aims to improve the understanding of mental health and wellbeing in Australia. |
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Dr Barbara BroadwaySenior Research Fellow |
Dr Broadway is a family economist who studies how women’s, children’s and families’ economic wellbeing is shaped by social policy, and in particular how social policy can help disadvantaged families. She has 15 years’ experience in policy evaluation for various government departments at the state and federal level. |
Phone number +61 3 9035 4565 Email Email Barbara Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Professor Lisa Cameron
Professorial Fellow
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Professor Cameron is Team Leader for Disadvantage and Wellbeing in the Asia-Pacific. She is a renowned development economist and James Riady Chair of Asian Economics. A Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, she brings extensive international experience to the evaluation of economic and social policy in developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia. Centre for Asian Business and Economics | |
Dr Melek Cigdem-Bayram
Senior Research Fellow
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Dr Cigdem-Bayram is the Ronald Henderson Senior Research Fellow, jointly appointed by the Melbourne Institute and the Brotherhood of St Laurence. She specialises in wealth inequality, intergenerational wealth transfers, poverty and disadvantage, and housing. She currently leads a program of research on measuring and defining poverty in Australia that aims to advance a nationally accepted definition and framework. |
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Dr Diana Contreras SuárezSenior Research Fellow |
Dr Contreras Suarez is a development economist, studying socio-economic disadvantage in developing countries, with a focus on our neighbouring nations like Indonesia and Timor-Leste. She is driven by finding ways to improve the lives of those with fewer opportunities and has a special interest in welfare systems, child development, women's empowerment and homelessness. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 3567 Email Email Diana Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Nichola CoombsResearch Coordinator, Intensive Early Childhood Education and Care Research Project (IECECRP) |
Dr Coombs is an Academic Specialist with a unique clinical background in infant and child mental health. Her research focuses on evaluating enhanced early education interventions for children living with high levels of family stress and social vulnerability. Her work bridges the gap between infant mental health, early education and economic policy. | |
Dr Sarah C. DahmannSenior Research Fellow |
Dr. Dahmann is a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute, interested in the human development of adolescents and young adults. Her work focuses on the determinants of skill formation, consequences of childhood disadvantage, impacts of education and welfare policies, and importance of mental health and self-control for economic behavior. |
Phone number +61 3 834 41331 Email Email Sarah C. Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Professor John de New
Professorial Fellow
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Professor de New is Team Leader for Wellbeing and Economic Empowerment and the Managing Editor for The Australian Economic Review (our journal, published by Wiley). He is the author of the panel data package for Stata called ‘PanelWhiz’ and was previously Chair of Economic Policy: Competition Theory and Policy at Ruhr University, Germany. | |
Dr Giovanni van EmpelResearch Fellow |
Dr Giovanni van Empel is an applied microeconomist and physician (by training). His research interests lie in how the environments surrounding individuals — including local institutions and public policy — influence human capital and wellbeing. He completed his PhD at Monash University in 2024. | |
Mr Taylor Ey
Research Fellow
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Taylor Ey is a Research Fellow focused on AI and data visualisations at the Melbourne Institute. His work combines applied economics, panel data and policy research with generative AI, data engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, and responsible AI. | |
Mr Daniel FischerFoundation Fellow |
Daniel is a Senior Foundation Fellow with expertise in single-unit record data architecture and has contributed to various projects related to policy impact. He is a published co-author on a data description paper related to ATO data assets. Daniel is passionate about mentoring and actively shares knowledge with his peers. | |
Dr Ana Gamarra RondinelResearch Fellow |
Dr Gamarra Rondinel is a public economist at the Melbourne Institute and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. Her research explores government policies on taxation, education, early childhood, and financial insecurity. She is also a Research Affiliate with CESifo and the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute. | |
Dr Arianna GattaResearch Fellow |
Dr Gatta specialises in labour economics and program evaluation. Her work focuses on how gatekeepers, such as employers and public administration, shape opportunities for marginalised groups. She uses quantitative and experimental methods to study discrimination, employment services and job quality, with a growing focus on Indigenous economic empowerment. | |
Professor Matthew Greenwood-Nimmo
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Professor Greenwood-Nimmo leads the Macroeconomic Modelling, Forecasting and Policy Analysis team. An expert in macro and financial econometrics, he has conducted impactful research on global economic linkages, the analysis of financial networks, and the study of economic asymmetries. His work advances our understanding of the domestic and international forces affecting the Australian macroeconomy. | |
Ms Tanya GuptaSenior Foundation Fellow |
Tanya Gupta is a Senior Foundation Fellow at the Melbourne Institute and has experience in education, family and labour economics. Her research studies the effectiveness of government policy interventions and seeks to bridge critical gaps in the field. |
Phone number +61 3 834 42646 Email Email Tanya Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Christopher HoyMcKenzie Research Fellow |
Dr Hoy is an applied microeconomist working on development economics, political economy, and public finance. His research has been published in leading journals, including the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy and Journal of Development Economics, featured in top media outlets, such as the New York Times, the Economist, and cited over 2000 times. | |
Professor Paul JensenChair in Public Policy and Engagement |
Professor Jensen is Chair of Public Policy & Engagement. He was awarded his PhD in industrial economics by the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) in 2004. He is a Board Member of the Asia Pacific Innovation Conference, an interdisciplinary network of scholars in economics, management and law focusing on innovation research. | |
Associate Professor Jan KabátekPrincipal Research Fellow |
Jan Kabátek is a Principal Research Fellow and leads CALIBER at the Melbourne Institute. He uses large administrative datasets and applied econometric methods to study labour, family, gender, education, and ageing, while also developing AI-enabled research infrastructure. | |
Professor Guyonne KalbProgram Director |
Professor Kalb is Deputy Director of the Melbourne Institute, Leader of the Family and Labour Economics Team and Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course. Her research focuses on micro-economics, in particular female labour supply and its interaction with family, tax and social policies. She has worked on several high-profile government policy reforms including the Paid Parental Leave Scheme and NSW Social Housing reform. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2095 Email Email Guyonne Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Ms Yashu KaleraFoundation Fellow |
Ms Kalera is an economist passionate about using data to drive meaningful change. Blending academic insight with industry experience, she brings clarity to complex issues across education, Indigenous affairs, and market strategy. Her work bridges policy, research, and storytelling to inform thoughtful, inclusive, and impactful decision-making. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 1598 Email Email Yashu Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Ms Roopa KamathHILDA Database Support Officer |
Roopa Kamath is a HILDA Database Support Officer at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. She specialises in data quality, editing, and documentation, as well as the development and testing of CAPI scripts. Passionate about ensuring accurate and reliable research data. | |
Dr Ujjwal KC
Research Fellow
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Dr Ujjwal KC, Research Fellow (Academic Specialist) at the Melbourne Institute, excels in data science, analytics, interactive visualisation, and artificial intelligence. With extensive experience, he designs engaging data products for extended outreach with dynamic, user-driven interfaces, delivering insights on disadvantage and wellbeing. He is passionate about aiding socio-economic policy research with emerging technologies. | |
Dr Inga LaßSenior Research Fellow |
Dr Inga Lass is Deputy Director - Research of the HILDA Survey and a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute. She is also co-coordinator of the executive board of Research Network 13, “Family and Intimate Lives”, at the European Sociological Association. Her research focuses on the interplay between employment arrangements, worker well-being, and family life. | |
Mr Chenhao LiangFoundation Fellow |
Chenhao (Ryan) is a Foundation Fellow with an MSc in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chenhao is passionate about using rich administrative datasets to explore and inform improvements in Australians’ health. His current research focuses on specialist fees and the health outcomes of people with disabilities. | |
Ms Ninette MacalaladHILDA Survey Research Database Engineer and Analyst |
As the Database Engineer and Analyst for HILDA, Ninette Macalalad brings data to life. Her expertise in managing complex systems ensures integrity of vital longitudinal information. Ninette's analytical skills and attention to detail support critical research, shaping understanding of Australian households through HILDA's comprehensive datasets. | |
Dr Steeve MarchandResearch Fellow |
Dr Steeve Marchand is an economist specialising in labour economics, program evaluation, and criminal justice policy. He is particularly passionate about improving outcomes for young people facing disadvantage in the labour market and understanding how social rehabilitation programs and correctional policies can reduce recidivism. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2109 Email Email Steeve Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Susan MéndezSenior Research Fellow |
Dr Méndez is committed to shaping evidence-informed policy in the healthcare sector. Her research focuses on competition policy and the organisation and regulation of healthcare markets. Her work has local and global impact, with research services that guide policy reforms for Australian federal and state governments and the World Bank. |
Phone number +61 3 9035 6536 Email Email Susan Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Mossamet Kamrun NesaSurvey Statistician/Methodologist |
Dr Mossamet Kamrun Nesa is a Survey Statistician/Methodologist for the HILDA Survey. Her research focuses on data quality and how well the important HILDA Survey represents the population, small-area estimation methods, and public health issues, including child malnutrition and maternal health in Bangladesh and other developing nations. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2535 Email Email Mossamet Kamrun Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Associate Professor Viet Hoang NguyenPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Nguyen is an expert in applied and behavioural macroeconomics. His research seeks to inform the monitoring of the Australian economy, particularly the household sector, and to understand the interplay between economic and behavioural factors in consumer decision-making and its macroeconomic outcomes. |
Phone number +61 3 9035 3621 Email Email Viet Hoang Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Kyle PeytonSenior Research Fellow |
Dr Peyton is an expert in causal inference and the design and analysis of randomised experiments in survey, lab, and field settings. His research integrates tools from data science and causal inference to advance the empirical study of pressing problems in political economy and public policy. | |
Associate Professor Cain PolidanoPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Polidano is an expert in education and skills policy, labour markets and Indigenous economics. His research measures causal relationships that improve policy and the life trajectories of disadvantaged Australians. He works with government, communities and businesses to maximise policy impact. | |
Dr Kushneel PrakashResearch Fellow |
Dr Prakash is an applied economist working in wellbeing, health and energy economics research using large survey data. He is an award-winning early career researcher with his PhD thesis winning him the distinguished Mollie-Holman Medal. He is passionate about advancing wellbeing research in Australia and growing its recognition in Pacific Island countries. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 3031 Email Email Kushneel Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Associate Professor Tim RobinsonPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Robinson is an applied macroeconomist. His research focuses on applied modelling to inform the conduct of macroeconomic policy, particularly in Australia. He is interested in understanding the strengths, limitations, and relationships between different modelling approaches. Macroeconomics Research Unit | |
Dr Nicolás SalamancaSenior Research Fellow |
Dr Salamanca is a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute and an expert in economics of education and family economics. His research informs the design of evidence-based education, family, and welfare policies to improve socioeconomic equality and the efficiency of public investments in children and families. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2863 Email Email Nicolás Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Karinna SaxbyResearch Fellow |
Dr Saxby is a Health Economist at the Melbourne Institute. Karinna is passionate about generating robust evidence to inform health policy in Australia, with a particular focus on Medicare reform and priority populations including people with disability, LGBT populations, and Indigenous peoples. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 7753 Email Email Karinna Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Ms Michelle SummerfieldHILDA Deputy Director, Survey Management |
Michelle is HILDA Deputy Director - Survey Management, specialising in data analysis and fieldwork coordination for large-scale studies. Leveraging her background in social science and public health, she expertly manages complex datasets and implements strategies to maximise response rates. Her work ensures high-quality data collection, driving impactful research outcomes. | |
Ms Alison TilbrookResearch Coordinator, Intensive Early Years Education and Care Research Project |
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Mr Derek TongFoundation Fellow |
Derek is a Foundation Fellow specialising in applied microeconomics. His research uses microeconometric methods to examine how early-life shocks, family dynamics, and social disadvantage influence long-term health, labour market, and behavioural outcomes. He is particularly interested in risky and offending behaviours, crime prevention, and public policies that improve outcomes for youth and disadvantaged groups. | |
Associate Professor Yi-Ping TsengPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Yi-Ping Tseng, an expert in program evaluation and policy design, employs rigorous methods like randomised trials and quasi-experimental evaluations using survey and administrative data. Her passion lies in generating robust evidence to inform education and social policies, with the aim of improving the life trajectories of vulnerable populations. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2132 Email Email Yi-Ping Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Associate Professor Sam TsiapliasPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Tsiaplias is an expert in the analysis and measurement of inflation, cost of living and how Australians form expectations about future economic conditions. His monthly reports on inflation, cost of living, consumer inflation and wage expectations are widely cited. His work informs economic and social policy for the public and private sectors. Macroeconomics Research Unit | |
Associate Professor Nicole Watson
HILDA Survey Co-Director |
A/Professor Watson, Co-Director of the HILDA Survey Project brings over 25 years of survey methodology expertise. Specialising in weighting, imputation, and data quality, she's been integral to HILDA since 2000. Her diverse experience spans fieldwork management, sampling strategies, and data user training, backed by roles at key Australian institutions. |
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Professor Beth WebsterDirector and Ronald Henderson Chair (Economics of Innovation, Intangible capital) |
Professor Webster, Director of the Melbourne Institute is a leading economist whose research on intellectual property, firm performance, and innovation has significantly influenced policy and academic understanding. Her work is widely published in top journals, and she frequently advises policymakers. | |
Professor Roger WilkinsDeputy Director and HILDA Survey Co-Director |
Professor Wilkins, Co-Director of the HILDA Survey, is an expert in labour markets, the distribution of economic wellbeing, and socio-economic disadvantage. He seeks to inform and improve Australian economic and social policy through his research and through his numerous engagement activities, which include speaking at public events, media appearances and serving on advisory bodies. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2092 Email Email Roger Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Dr Ou YangSenior Research Fellow |
Ou Yang is a Senior Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute, specialising in health economics, econometrics, and healthcare policy. His research has directly influenced legislative changes, public discourse, and policymaking in Australia, earning widespread recognition in both academic and policy circles. | |
Associate Professor Jongsay YongPrincipal Research Fellow |
Associate Professor Yong is a Principal Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute. He specialises in health economics with an interest in health system financing, hospital performance, and incentives in health care. He aims to inform health policymaking through research and engagement work. |
Phone number +61 3 8344 2121 Email Email Jongsay Find an Expert Find an Expert Download CV Download CV |
Professor Yuting ZhangProfessorial Fellow |
Professor Zhang is Team Leader for Health Economics and Director of HALE Hub. She develops and evaluates novel strategies to improve health insurance, health system productivity and population health. She serves on several editorial boards of leading health journals and Co-Chairs the Arrow Award Committee, the highest international award in health economics. |
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Ms Yuchen ZhongFoundation Fellow |
Yuchen Zhong is a Foundation Fellow with experience in applied economics and policy research. She has extensive experience working with large and complex datasets, including ABS administrative data and HILDA. Her research interests centre on using empirical evidence to understand socio-economic disadvantage and its policy implications. |