Paul J. Wander is a PhD Fellow.
He holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and History from the College of William & Mary. He is currently an Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UN-ECLAC), where he works with data on innovation and development. He has also worked on agriculture and natural resource economics, STI policy and impact, and data analysis in public and private settings across Latin America and the Caribbean. Earlier roles include macroeconomics consultant, writer, and data analyst in the private sector.
His research explores how innovation contributes to productivity and development in Latin America and the Caribbean. He focuses on evaluating science, technology and innovation (STI) policies; understanding sectoral differences in how innovation affects outcomes; and using novel data sources to measure gaps and impact. Current work centers on agriculture, healthcare, and tourism — using econometric tools to assess what works and why in promoting structural change and innovation-led growth.