Edgar Orlando Castro Méndez

E-mail: ecastrom@gmu.edu
Inter-Disciplinary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University 3434 Washington Blvd Arlington, VA 22201 United States
Phone: +1 (202) 938-6656

SUMMARY

Ph.D. candidate in Economics from George Mason University with a robust foundation in Applied Microeconomics, Experimental Economics, and Public Economics. Edgar possesses over 5 years of professional experience with the Inter-American Development Bank, complemented by academia roles at George Mason and Universidad de los Andes.

METHODS

Advanced applied econometrics, experimental design, causal inference, impact evaluation, applied microeconomic theory.

EDUCATION

PhD in Economics, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, (Expected: Spring 2024)
M.A in Economics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, August 2013.
B.A in Economics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, March 2012.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Applied Microeconomics, Experimental Economics, Public Economics and Political Economy

PUBLICATIONS

Carrillo, P. E., Castro, E., and Scartascini, C. (2021). Public good provision and property tax compliance: Evidence from a natural experiment. Journal of Public Economics, 198:104422. (download)

WORKING PAPERS

Castro, E and Scartascini, C (2019), Imperfect Attention in Public Policy: A Field Experiment during a Tax Amnesty in Argentina. Download

WORK EXPERIENCE

Graduate Research Assistant, George Mason University, Virginia, August 2017 - present
Consultant, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC, March 2022 – December 2023. (IFD/FMM)
Consultant, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC, October 2021 – November 2021. (RES)
Pre-doctoral fellow, CESED, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá August 2018 – May 2019.
Consultant, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC, May 2018 – October 2018.
Research Fellow, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington, DC, September 2014 – August 2017. (RES)
External Consultant, SENA, Bogota, Colombia, January 2014 – July 2014.
Researcher, ECON ESTUDIO, Bogota, Colombia, December 2011 – January 2014.
Intern, ECON ESTUDIO, Bogotá, Colombia, January 2011 – August 2011.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Instructor, Graduate Math Camp, George Mason University, (Summer 2022)
Teaching Assistant, Game theory for Ph.D., George Mason University, (Spring 2021 – Fall 2022)
Teaching Assistant, Applied Econometrics, George Mason University, Spring 2021.
Teaching Assistant, Microeconomics for graduates, George Mason University, Spring 2020m Spring 2021.
Lecturer, Introduction to Microeconomics for undergraduates, Universidad de los Andes, Fall 2013 and Spring 2014.
Teaching Assistant, Regulation and Competition Policy for graduates, Universidad de los Andes, Fall 2012 and Spring 2013.

WORK IN PROGRESS

“Hoarding and Price Restrictions” (with Cesar Martinelli)
“Lasting effects of China’s One-Child Policy” (with Shan Gui and Binhui Xu)
“How does flexibilization of public procurement affect its efficiency?” (with Anastasya Yarygina Udovenko)
“Patronage Networks and Favoritism in Colombian Public Procurement” (with Hugo Diaz)
“Collective Deliberation: Theory and Experiment” (with Mikhail Freer and Cesar Martinelli)

RESEARCH AND CONSULTING

Is the Colombian public services’ subsidy focalization system an electoral manipulation scheme? M.A. Thesis. Manuscript, Universidad de los Andes. June 2013.
Differentiation of Financial Institutions for Risk Deposit Insurance, Guide for methodological validation. September 2013.

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Design and Formulation of Electricity Demand Subsidies in Colombia [Spanish]: Background paper for the Energy Transformation Mission. By Marcela Eslava and Miguel Revolo. 2020
The Legacies of Civil War on Citizens’ Preferences for Democracy and the Rule of Law: Co-authored with Ana Arjona (Northwestern U.), Juan C. Cardenas (Uniandes), Ana M. Ibañez (Uniandes), and Patricia Justino (IDS).
Commitment to Equity Assessment (CEQ), Colombian Chapter: Authored by Nora Lustig and Marcela Meléndez, 2013.
Public Development Banks and Access to Credit in Colombia: A study by Marcela Eslava, Marcela Meléndez, and Alessandro Maffioli, conducted between 2012 and 2013.
Labor Productivity in Colombia: Authored by Marcela Meléndez for The World Bank, 2013.
Formalization Policy Experiments: Co-authored with Sebastian Galiani, funded by IDB-MAP in 2013.
The Liquid Fuels Industry in Colombia [Spanish]: A collaborative project for the Colombian Association of Oil Companies (ACP) by Carlos Caballero, Marcela Meléndez, and Ricardo Paredes, between 2012 and 2013.
Natural Gas Competitiveness in Colombia [Spanish]: Commissioned by Naturgas in 2012, with contributions from Alberto Brugman, Marcela Meléndez, Guillermo Perry, and Pablo Roda.
Content Production for www.visioneconomica.com : Carried out under the guidance of Mariana Martínez and Marcela Meléndez from January 2011 to August 2011.
The Textile/Apparel Sector in Colombia [Spanish]: A 2011 project for INEXMODA by Marcela Meléndez and María José Uribe.
Baseline Design and Analysis for “Hogar Digital” [Spanish]: Authored by Raquel Bernal and Marcela Meléndez in 2011, for the Ministry of Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

National Tax Association, annual meeting, Tampa, Florida, 2019.
The Association of Private Enterprise Education, annual meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 2021.
The Association of Private Enterprise Education, annual meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2022.
The Shadow Economy, Tax Behavior, and Institutions, Brunel University London, Warsaw University, Online, 2021

GRANTS AND AWARDS

Graduate Research Assistant scholarship, ICES, George Mason University, 2017-present
Undergraduate Full Scholarship “Quiero Estudiar”, Universidad de los Andes, 2007-2011.
Best Standardized Test Score for college admission – Ranking: first place (“Mejores ICFES 2006”).

OTHERS

Stata, R, Python, Otree
Spanish (native), English (fluent)

CONTACT

Edgar Orlando Castro Méndez
E-mail: ecastrom@gmu.edu
Inter-Disciplinary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University 3434 Washington Blvd Arlington, VA 22201 United States
Phone: +1 (202) 938-6656