Christopher Hoy receives Paul Bourke Award for Early Career Research

Dr Hoy is a McKenzie Research Fellow at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, an Invited Researcher at the MIT Poverty Action Lab (JPAL), affiliated with the World Bank Tax Data Lab (DATAX) and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and a Visiting Fellow at the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute.

This award recognises Dr Christopher Hoy’s excellence in the social sciences and his growing influence on public policy research across the globe. His research has been featured in leading journals, including the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Journal of Development Economics, and Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, featured in top media outlets, such as the New York Times, the Economist and the BBC, and cited more than 2,000 times.

Dr Hoy said he was honoured to receive the award and reflected on the importance of evidence-based research that gives people a stronger voice in policymaking.

"I am very grateful to receive the Paul Bourke Award. I am incredibly fortunate to have worked with many great people who are also motivated to do rigorous, policy relevant research."

I hope that in a small way, our surveys of people’s policy preferences around the world will help ensure the general public can have more of a voice in the policy process. With the recent launch of the Policy Preferences Lab, hopefully we can have a bigger impact on the future.

Dr Hoy’s supervisor, Professor Lisa Cameron, commended him on the award, highlighting the global reach and its positive impact on helping address real world matters.

“Chris’ research has generated new and valuable evidence on people’s attitudes to taxation and fiscal policy in middle and lower-income countries. His findings reflect the views of the approximately quarter of a million people he has surveyed across more than 40 countries and encourage governments to make bolder policy choices in line with the preferences of the broader population, not just elites.

Dr Hoy’s work has led to the recent launch of the Policy Preferences Lab, which brings together researchers from around the world who share an interest in understanding people’s attitudes towards economic policies and how governments can design policies that better reflect public preferences and improve their effectiveness.

“His work has already tangibly affected policy for the better in PNG, Indonesia and Kenya.”

Professor Cameron said the award was well deserved and reflected Dr Hoy’s commitment to both academic excellence and public impact.

“The Paul Bouke Award is very well-deserved and reflects Chris’ exceptional expertise and commitment to academic research and public policy. Chris is also appreciated by his colleagues for his ability to lift morale and team spirit through the dissemination of chocolate.”

Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics, Professor Serge da Motta Veiga, said he is extremely proud of Christopher and the meaningful contribution his research continues to make to assist policy makers and communities around the globe.

"There’s an immense feeling of pride to see the outstanding work of our talented researchers across the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Melbourne Institute recognised. This achievement reflects the University of Melbourne’s commitment to research excellence and showcases the vital role research plays in addressing complex challenges and real-world impact.”

About the awards

The Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research are named in honour of the Academy’s past president, Paul Francis Bourke (1938–1999), who studied history at the University of Melbourne before becoming one of the first Australian historians to undertake American-style doctoral training.

During his career, Bourke served as Professor of American Studies and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Flinders University. He later became Director of the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University and served as President of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia from 1993 to 1997.

Four Paul Bourke Award recipients are selected each year by members of the Academy’s panel committees. The awards recognise outstanding social science researchers within five years of receiving their doctorate, with allowances for career interruptions.