Dr. Duncan Thomas

Biography

Duncan Thomas is a prominent scholar in the fields of economics and public policy, holding the Norb F. Schaefer Distinguished Professorship in International Studies at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. His research primarily focuses on population health and development, emphasizing the allocation of resources within families in low-resource environments and the role of female empowerment in improving well-being for future generations. Thomas' extensive work includes conducting large-scale randomized interventions in Indonesia to examine the causal impact of poor nutrition on economic prosperity, as well as studying the implications of unexpected financial shocks on health and well-being across multiple countries. He has also contributed to understanding the long-term impact of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami on various well-being indicators, and his work has been crucial in designing and implementing longitudinal surveys like the Indonesia Family Life Survey and the Mexican Family Life Survey. His research has been funded by prestigious organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the World Bank, and he has published in top academic journals. He has served as Vice President of the Population Association of America and held significant editorial roles in leading economic journals.

Research Interests

Experience