Eliana La Ferrara is professor at Harvard Kennedy School. La Ferrara's research covers several issues and in all her research, she shows a deep social commitment. She works on questions of first-order importance.
Her main fields are political economy and development economics, where she is particularly concerned with how social factors interact with economic development. She has been engaged in research ranging from migrants' opportunities in rich countries to the financing of war with blood-diamonds.
In addition to delivering world-class research, La Ferrara spends a lot of time and dedication to the benefit of the research community. She is currently Second Vice-President of the Econometric Society and was previously President of the European Economic Association.
La Ferrara's contact with the Department of Economics goes back several years. She was a key part of the international network at the center of excellence ESOP. She still regularly gives doctoral courses at the department.