Rafael de la Vega is a PhD fellow at UNU-MERIT
In his thesis, Rafael explores the relationship between structural change and income inequality, aiming to inform how countries can influence their sectoral transformations and technological transitions towards more egalitarian income distributions. His first chapter is a meta-analysis of the relevant literature, while his second chapter examines the structural determinants of top incomes in South Africa. Rafael has a background in industrial engineering and economics. Prior to joining UNU-MERIT, he had extensive experience as a lecturer and researcher at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the State University of Rio de Janeiro. He has been involved in various projects related to innovation management, process mapping and optimization, regional development, and layout planning, collaborating with partners across sectors such as healthcare, biotechnology, and oil and gas.