Alumni Profile: Raul Leon, MACRM’24

Raul Leon, MACRM’24, speaks about theoretical economics in the way some people describe their favorite hobby. “It’s fun, I’m not going to lie,” he laughed. “And while I enjoy econometric theory, I also research applied topics like neighborhood effects and social mobility.”  

Now, pursuing his PhD in Economics at Brown University, Leon’s doctoral work focuses on econometric theory with a goal of developing statistical methods to enhance public policy. In fact, Leon noted, elements of his PhD work are building off research projects initiated during his time in the Harris Master of Arts in Public Policy with Certificate in Research Methods (MACRM) Program. 

“One project I am working on, which examines how neighborhood-level social interactions influence refugee outcomes in Denmark, originated at the Center for the Economics of Human Development. In addition, I am expanding a project I began with the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility that examines the long-term impacts of Australia's ‘Stolen Generations’ policy, which removed Indigenous children from their families throughout much of the twentieth century. My project explores those policy outcomes related to education, health, and interactions with the justice system.” 

Leon said his initial love for economics was inspired after he read about Amartya Sen's case for weighing competing principles of justice in The Idea of Justice. “Sen encouraged his readers to focus on diagnosing and treating the injustices of society and reaching agreements of what is ‘just’ through public discourse and democracy. In my mind, there was no better way for me  to contribute to this public discourse than through the use of econometrics in public policy.”  

Even while earning his Bachelor's of Economics with an emphasis on Quantitative Methods at the University of Queensland in Australia, Leon said he knew he wanted to pursue a PhD—“and I knew I’d need a master’s degree first. Not only was the MACRM program at Harris an ideal fit, but it was the best way for me to prepare for my doctorate in economics.”  

Leon said the MACRM program provided numerous opportunities for him to gain new perspectives on the economics work he’d already done. “The required PhD-level courses deepened my quantitative background, and the second-year PhD courses helped me focus on research ideas. I also appreciated the opportunity to take courses on research design for policy and applied work, especially as I am interested in using statistical methods to measure economic realities affecting people’s daily lives such as poverty traps, asymmetric health access, and persistent diseases in marginalized populations.” 

However, Leon said the TA opportunities in MACRM really stood out for him. "Serving as a TA for the PhD applied econometrics sequence was incredibly valuable. I revisited and had to deeply relearn concepts I had covered in previous years, which really solidified my methodological foundation. However," he added, "TA-ing Economics 34900 Inequality: Theory, Methods, and Evidence was the biggest highlight. Since I hadn't taken that specific class before, it was an amazing learning opportunity. We covered some incredibly vast and complex topics, like functional regression, which the broader literature often doesn't even touch on. Professor Steven N. Durlauf is a truly amazing thinker, and learning from him is always a profound experience." 

As for ways prospective MACRM applicants can get the most out of the program, Leon offered the following: "Be sure to connect with faculty and explore all the opportunities available to you, whether as a research assistant or a teaching assistant, or by taking part in workshops. Be engaged in the community.”