Elaine Shen

Welcome! I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Economics at UC Berkeley. My research is in applied microeconomics and focuses on how individuals make high-stakes financial, labor market, and healthcare decisions.

I am on the 2026-2027 job market!

Current topics I am interested in include insurance plan choice in the Medicare market, selection in education investment decisions, and human-AI interaction in consumption/savings, job search, and hiring decisions. My research is funded by several institutions, including the National Science Foundation, J-PAL (SPRI, HCDI), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Endowment for Financial Education, and the Commonwealth Fund.

Prior to graduate school I spent 5 years on BlackRock’s Insurance Portfolio Management Team in New York. I was a FINRA Registered Representative from 2016-2021. I hold a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University (Hoya Saxa!).

You can reach me by email at elaineshen[at]berkeley.edu