ECONtribute In Brief
ECONtribute Interview Series. Find a list of all our Members here.
Anna Bindler
Hans-Martin von Gaudecker
Matthias Heinz
Moritz Kuhn
Christine Laudenbach
Pia Pinger
Amelie Schiprowski
Matthias Sutter
Tom ZimmermannAbout Anna Bindler
Anna Bindler is a Professor at ECONtribute at the University of Cologne. She studied Economics at the University of Bonn and obtained her PhD at the University College in London in 2015. Until spring 2020 she lived in Sweden and worked at the University of Gothenburg. Anna Bindler is one of the few German economists who are doing research in the field of Economics of Crime.
Q & A with Anna Bindler
What is the best thing about your job?
To work on topics that I am curious about, working together with interesting and interested people who want to develop themselves constantly – and of course the standing desk in my office.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
If I already had my PhD, I would probably have liked to join an international organisation as an economist. If I had to choose a completely new field, this would be a tough choice: Maybe psychology, architecture or something completely different.
Who or what inspires you?
People who think positively and, especially in research, ambitious top researchers who nevertheless are approachable and take time for others.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Constantly, it starts in everyday life with whether I prefer a cappuccino or a latte. Joking apart: learning when it is the right time to change your mind is one of the most essential parts of research.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
As a postdoc, I got some great advice that I would have liked to have earlier: To collect positive feedback, for example from students or colleagues, in a notebook. This really helps on a bad day when things aren’t going so well and you doubt yourself.
Personal Website of Anna Bindler
About Hans-Martin von Gaudecker
Hans-Martin von Gaudecker is a Professor of Applied Microeconomics at ECONtribute and the University of Bonn. He studied Economics in Heidelberg, Santiago de Chile, London and Mannheim, where he obtained his PhD in 2007. His research interests revolve around modelling the life-cycle behaviour of households and informing public policy aiming to reduce inequality. In teaching, he wants to convey how economic insights can be gained using econometric and computer-based techniques.
Q & A with Hans-Martin von Gaudecker
What is the best thing about your job?
The freedom to think about socially relevant issues and to empirically research human behaviour.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I would probably have started to work as a management consultant -what I would be doing today in this case is difficult to tell. It was clear to me early on that I was heading for economics – my excursions into philosophy or sociology have been rather sobering.
Who or what inspires you?
Discussions with colleagues and sometimes absurd interpretations of data that cry out for proper analysis.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
Many, but most likely: Acquire serious coding skills!
Personal Website of Hans-Martin von Gaudecker
About Matthias Heinz
Matthias Heinz is a Professor at ECONtribute at the University of Cologne. He studied business administration at the Goethe-University in Frankfurt and completed his dissertation there in 2014. After his junior professorship at the University of Cologne, he took over the professorial chair for strategy in 2018. Matthias Heinz investigates the causal effects of management practices (e.g. bonus systems, employee referral programs) in field experiments with firms.
Q & A with Matthias Heinz
What is the best thing about your job?
Having the freedom to work on topics I really want to work on.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
The same – introducing management practices in firms – only that I would be paid for it as a consultant.
Who or what inspires you?
To see that you create something that really has an impact and makes a lasting difference.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
I do that every day in my empirical research.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
Fortunately, I had good mentors who prepared me for how complex the science system and publication processes are. It’s super important to understand it from the very beginning – I would also pass this on to young doctoral students.
Personal website of Matthias Heinz
About Moritz Kuhn
Moritz Kuhn is a Professor of Economics at ECONtribute and the University of Bonn. He studied Economics at the University of Mannheim, where he received his PhD in 2010. He conducts research on macroeconomic topics and is particularly interested in inequality and labour markets – preferably a combination of both.
Q & A with Moritz Kuhn
What is the best thing about your job?
The freedom and independence of research: What I really value is the freedom to deal with topics and questions that I find interesting and the independence to arrive at results that I consider to be right.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I find investment banking exciting, but I don’t know if that would have made me happy. Or political work – but that would be too exhausting for me.
Who or what inspires you?
Inspiring conversations with people during which I realise that I have really learned something new – often with older, more experienced colleagues. They give me a different view of the world and make me want to think more about certain issues.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
It feels like daily. Recently I had to change my mind concerning the question of whether “Kurzarbeitergeld” (short-time compensation) works. At first, I could not imagine the miracle effect announced by politicians. But the longer I think about it and discuss it critically, the more convinced I am, because I understand it better.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
To think a little outside the box and not always follow the beaten track, but to trust yourself to be creative.
Personal Website of Moritz Kuhn
About Christine Laudenbach
Christine Laudenbach is a Professor of Finance at ECONtribute at the University of Bonn. She studied Banking at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and received her PhD in Mannheim in 2012. She is particularly interested in the drivers of financial decision making and financial education. In 2020 she co-published the book “Die genial einfache Vermögensstrategie”.
Q & A with Christine Laudenbach
What is the best thing about your job?
The freedom to do what I find exciting, the fact that more and more women are doing research in my field and being surrounded by an increasing number of motivated students who become entrepreneurs themselves – that keeps me young.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I would have become a child psychologist to help people who are not yet in control of decisions in their lives.
Who or what inspires you?
Lots of different people with little things in everyday life – I am a super curious person who wants to try out everything.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Often, I am surprised how many stereotypes we have. Recently, for example, I read the book “Exit Racism” and had to recognise clichés in my mind that I never thought about.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
Do nothing for strategic reasons, but do exactly what you burn for.
Personal Website of Christine Laudenbach
About Pia Pinger
Pia Pinger is a Professor at ECONtribute at the University of Cologne. Before her junior professorship at the University of Bonn, she obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Mannheim in 2013. She is a full professor at the Department of Economics in Cologne since 2019. Her main research interests revolve around human capital (educational decision making and health economics) and socioeconomic inequalities.
Q & A with Pia Pinger
What is the best thing about your job?
Always learning new things and being surrounded by interested people who want to extend their knowledge as well.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I would have become a teacher. At first, I was afraid of having to work alone most of the time in research – now with my kids at home, I’m quite happy to sit alone in the office sometimes.
Who or what inspires you?
Reading newspapers, I like to immerse myself in completely different social situations. It also inspires me to reflect on current research topics with my colleagues.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Constantly! Research means being confronted with problems where nobody knows how to solve them – research is like an intellectual striptease.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
You have to become your own intellectual personality. You shouldn’t do research to please your supervisor and get a good grade, but because you are convinced of your work, that’s the only way you can stand criticism.
Personal Website of Pia Pinger
About Amelie Schiprowski
Amelie Schiprowski is a Junior Professor in Microeconomics at ECONtribute and the University of Bonn. She completed her Master’s in Economics at Sciences Po Paris and Ecole Polytechnique and received her PhD from the University of Potsdam in 2018. Her research focal points are Labor and Public Economics. In 2020 she won the Joachim Herz Award in Economics.
Q & A with Amelie Schiprowski
What is the best thing about your job?
The freedom to deal with topics that I find important and working together with inspiring colleagues.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I might have studied medicine and become a doctor.
Who or what inspires you?
The exchange with colleagues here in Bonn, but also worldwide and the desire to contribute to evidence-based policy making.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
I had to revise my prejudices about human resource departments of private companies since I recently started cooperating with them. They are more open towards scientific evidence than I previously suspected.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
Not to put too much pressure on yourself and to only work on topics that really drive you.
Personal Website of Amelie Schiprowski
About Matthias Sutter
Matthias Sutter is a Professor at ECONtribute at the University of Cologne. Furthermore, he is the Director of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. He studied Economics in Innsbruck and received his PhD in 1999. Among other, Matthias Sutter investigates economic preferences of children, team decision making and public goods.
Q & A with Matthias Sutter
What is the best thing about your job?
The luxury of dealing with questions that I find interesting.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
Ever since I was young I knew I wanted to do scientific work – even though I studied theology and only started my economics degree at the age of 24. But I am interested in multiple scientific disciplines, including mathematics and physics, for example.
Who or what inspires you?
Daily life and observing how people behave.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Constantly, for instance when evaluating empirical data and comparing them with my priors. But these are exactly the exciting points at which one would like to dig deeper.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
I got the most important one from my PhD-supervisor: Do what you are passionate about, then you will work best.
Personal Website of Matthias Sutter
About Tom Zimmermann
Tom Zimmermann is an Assistant Professor in Economics at ECONtribute and the University of Cologne. Before coming to Cologne, he worked for the Federal Reserve Board in Washington. He studied Economics in Bonn and received his PhD from Harvard University. Tom Zimmermann conducts research on finance and data science – preferably in combination with machine learning.
Q & A with Tom Zimmermann
What is the best thing about your job?
Dealing with topics that I am interested in on a daily basis, together with people who are also interested in them. Especially in teaching, I always meet young people with good ideas – that’s very enriching.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
I would probably still work at a central bank. If I had had to choose a different field of study, it would actually have been law. Especially in the context of machine learning, I find legal regulation topics very exciting.
Who or what inspires you?
Exciting data and conversations with colleagues.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Just the other day on the subject of Covid 19 and vaccination: I let myself be dissuaded from the thesis that perhaps men should be vaccinated first because the mortality rate is higher among male patients. That may just be due to selection in the data, since women, for example, simply go to the doctor earlier. So looking behind the data forces you to change your mind sometimes.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
“It’s not so bad, it’ll be fine.” Doctoral studies can be quite a dry spell in life when others are moving forward professionally or personally and you are still studying. That’s why my second advice would be not to drag on your studies too long unnecessarily.
Personal Website of Tom Zimmermann