Sebastian Gallegos is an Assistant Professor of Economics at UAI’s Business School in Chile. He holds a PhD from The University of Chicago Harris School, specializing in Microeconometrics. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar and Lecturer at Princeton University’s Department of Economics and later served as a Research Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank (SPD) in Washington, DC.

Professor Gallegos is an active researcher, serving as a Research Fellow at IZA, an Invited Researcher at J-PAL, and a Researcher at the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Global Working Group. He is also an academic collaborator at the University of Chicago Behavioral Insights Lab, a Research Fellow at the IDB Behavioral Economics Working Group, and a member of the Scientific Committee for the Behavioral Insights Network (BRAIN) at the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA).

BIP Lab: What drew you to work at the BIP Lab?

It feels like a lifetime ago, but if I recall correctly, I was one of the “inaugural fellows” of the BIP Lab. The story began about 10 years ago, during my PhD at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. At the time, I won a small award from the Center for Human Potential and Public Policy (CHPPP) to conduct research on educational mobility. Ariel Kalil, who leads the CHPPP, then invited me to join a groundbreaking project—the Parents and Children Together (PACT) intervention.

This project was incredibly exciting and innovative, focusing on using behavioral tools to improve parental engagement. It spanned several years of collaborative work and ultimately resulted in what I believe is one of the signature papers of the BIP Lab. The study was published at one of the best academic journals in the field abd one of the first to show that using behavioral tools could improve parental engagement.

BIP Lab: What is one of your favorite memories of the BIP Lab?

There where many, but one that I’m particularly fond of is the time when I run the regressions estimating the causal impact of our PACT intervention. The effects where large and stastitically significant, which meant that we really influenced parental behavior. With Ariel, Susan (Mayer), and Keri (Lintz) we all celebrated with a toast at the very Harris building.

BIP Lab: What are you doing now?

I’m now an assistant professor of Economics at the UAI Business School in Chile. I keep working broadly on the economics of education, using econometrics, field experiments and administrative data to study behavioral and human capital topics.

BIP Lab: How did you become interested in your field?

From the moment I began my undergraduate studies in economics, I was drawn to studying inequality and poverty. Growing up in Chile—a country historically known for its high levels of inequality—and living in Latin America, a region marked by pervasive poverty and inequality, it felt like a natural area of focus.

Initially, I gravitated toward labor economics, as it seemed closely tied to these issues. However, I quickly realized that the roots of poverty and inequality often lead back to education. This insight shifted my focus to the economics of education. 

Over time, important research revealed that early childhood is a critical period for shaping long-term outcomes. Even more compelling was the evidence showing that what happens in the household can be as, if not more, influential than what happens in schools. This progression naturally led me to study parenting and its impact on child development too.

Today, my broader interest lies in understanding human capital investments across the life cycle, as there are meaningful interventions we can make at every stage to promote equity and opportunity. I’m particularly excited about the opportunities that come with our growing capacity for data production and management and the potential for working at the intersection of human capital and machine learning.

BIP Lab: What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?

I spent about 10 years in the United States, pursuing my studies at the University of Chicago, completing a postdoc at Princeton, and later working at the Inter-American Development Bank’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. However, earning my PhD from the University of Chicago stands out as my proudest professional accomplishment. Those years were transformative, filled with intellectual challenges and inspiration. I had the privilege of learning from some of the best professors in the world, an experience that shaped my perspective on economics and public policy. Coming from Chile—literally from the southern tip of the map!—it was an unparalleled honor to immerse myself in such a stimulating environment and grow both academically and personally.

BIP Lab: What advice would you give to other students who aspire to follow a similar career path?

One piece of advice I would give to students aspiring to follow a similar career path is to not overlook the importance of soft skills. 

There’s often a strong emphasis on developing hard skills—like mathematics, econometrics, statistics, and, more recently, machine learning and data science. In my case, learning additional languages, such as English and German beyond Spanish, was also crucial. 

However, once you’ve built a solid foundation in these technical skills, the differentiating factor often comes down to qualities like resilience, persistence, and the willingness to try and try again.

I’ve seen talented individuals struggle because they didn’t cultivate these softer, yet equally critical, skills. The reality is that navigating challenges in academia and professional life is hard, and mistakes are inevitable. But this is precisely how knowledge and growth happen. Grit and resilience are the qualities that will ultimately help you reach where you truly want to be.

BIP Lab: What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

I’m an accomplished fútbol (soccer) player!—it’s a great way to stay active and connect with others. I’m also an avid reader, and I deliberately step away from economics when choosing books for leisure. Every October, I make it a tradition to explore works by Nobel Prize winners in Literature. Recently, I finished The Vegetarian by Han Kang, an incredibly thought-provoking and beautifully written novel. Reading offers me both inspiration and a much-needed mental break from my academic and professional pursuits.