Previous Prize Winners

2021

Young Researcher
Name and affiliationDissertation
1st Prize: Simon Heß (PhD at Goethe University Frankfurt)“Essays on Experimental Evaluations and Networks in Economics”
2nd Prize: Sabrina Maurus (PhD at University of Bayreuth)“Battles over State Making on a Frontier Dilemmas of Schooling, Young People and Agro-Pastoralism in Hamar, Southwest Ethiopia”
3rd Prize: Selina Silvia Bezzola (PhD at ETH Zurich)“The consequences of Corporate Social Responsibilities for mining communities in Africa”
Prize Committee
Simone Dietrich (University of Geneva)
Gregor Dobler (University of Freiburg)
Andreas Fuchs (University of Goettingen)
Michael Grimm (University of Passau)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Ulrike Grote (University of Hannover)
KfW Development Bank

2020

Young Researcher
Name and affiliationDissertation
1st Prize: Sebastian Tonke (PhD at University of Cologne)“Using Behavioral Interventions to Foster Resource Sustainability”
2nd Prize: Bosco Lliso (PhD at University of Osnabrück)“Social Equity and Payments for Ecosystem Services: From Macro to Micro”
3rd Prize: Cara Ebert (PhD at University of Göttingen)“Child development and human capital formation—Evidence from randomized interventions and gender inequality”
Prize Committee
Simone Dietrich (University of Geneva)
Andreas Fuchs (University of Goettingen)
Michael Grimm (University of Passau)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Ulrike Grote (University of Hannover)
KfW Development Bank

Note: The KfW Prize for Scientific Excellence is not awarded anymore since this year.

 

2019

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Lorenzo Casaburi (University of Zurich) “Time versus State in Insurance: Experimental Evidence from Contract Farming in Kenya”, published in the American Economic Review
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Sarah Langlotz (PhD in Economics at Heidelberg University) “Conflict, Income Shocks, and Foreign Policy: Macro- and Micro-Level Evidence”
2nd Prize: Maria-Theres Schuler (PhD in Ethnology at the University of Zurich) “Disability and Logics of Distribution in a Ugandan Refugee Settlement”
3rd Prize: Valentin Lang (PhD in Economics at Heidelberg University) “Political Decisions, Economic Effects: How International Organizations Govern the Globalized Economy”
Prize Committee
Simone Dietrich (Universität Genf)
Gregor Dobler (University of Freiburg)
Axel Dreher (Heidelberg University)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Roland Hodler (University of St. Gallen)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
KfW Entwicklungsbank

 

2018

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Dina Pomeranz (University of Zurich) “Dodging the Taxman: Firm Misreporting and Limits to Tax Enforcement”, published in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Rahul Lahoti (PhD in Economics at the University of Goettingen) “Essays in poverty, inequality, and political economy”
2nd Prize: Mirjam Anna Brüderle (PhD in Economics at the University of St. Gallen) “Essays in Development Economics”
3rd Prize: Felix Haaß (PhD in Political Science at the University of Greifswald) “Buying Democracy? The Political Economy of Foreign Aid, Power-Sharing Governments, and Post-Conflict Political development”
Prize Committee
Simone Dietrich (Universität Genf)
Gregor Dobler (University of Freiburg)
Axel Dreher (Heidelberg University)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Roland Hodler (University of St. Gallen)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
KfW Entwicklungsbank

 

2017

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Toman Barsbai (IfW Kiel) “The Effect of Labor Migration on the Diffusion of Democracy: Evidence from a Former Soviet Republic”, published in American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: André Gröger (PhD in Economics at the University of Frankfurt) “On the Causes and Consequences of Migration in Developing Countries”
2nd Prize: Muhammad Baba Bello (PhD in Agricultural Economics at the University of Kiel) “Three Essays on Modeling Consumer Preferences in the Presence of Hypothetical Bias and Attribute Non-Attendance in Food Choice Experiments”
3rd Prize: Vera Eichenauer (PhD in Economics at the University of Heidelberg) “The Political Economy of Foreign Aid – Allocation, Timing, and Effectiveness”
Prize Committee
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Gregor Dobler (University of Freiburg)
Axel Dreher (Heidelberg University)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Roland Hodler (University of St. Gallen)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
KfW Entwicklungsbank

 

2016

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Raji Jayaraman (ESMT Berlin) “Anatomy of a Contract Change”, published in The American Economic Review
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Richard Bluhm (PhD in Economics at Maastricht University) “Growth Dynamics and Development. Essays in Applied Econometrics and Political Economy”
2nd Prize: René Umlauf (PhD in Sociology at the University of Bayreuth) “Mobile Tests – Einfaches Wissen. Zur Laboratorisierung und Projektifizierung der Malariadiagnose im ländlichen Uganda”
3rd Prize: Tobias Stöhr (PhD in Economics at the University of Kiel) “Social and Economic Effects of Migration”
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Javier Revilla Diez (University of Cologne)
Axel Dreher (University of Heidelberg)
Roland Hodler (University of St. Gallen)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2015

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Sebastian Vollmer (University of Göttingen), Kenneth Harttgen (ETH Zürich) „Association between economic growth and early childhood undernutrition: evidence from 121 Demographic and Health Surveys from 36 low-income and middle-income countries.“
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Simon Alder (PhD in Economics at the University of Zurich) „Essays in Economic Policy and Development“
2nd Prize: Jan Beek (PhD in Anthropology at the University of Mainz) „Boundary Work: The Police in Ghana“
3rd Prize: Vera Molitor (PhD in Economics at the University of Mannheim) „Family Economics in Developing Countries“
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Axel Dreher (University of Heidelberg)
Katja Michaelowa (University of Zurich)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2014

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Roland Hodler (University of St. Gallen) “Regional Favoritism”
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Livia Schubiger (PhD in Political Science at the University of Zurich) “Repression and Mobilization in Civil War: The Consequences of State Violence for Wartime Collective Action”
2nd Prize: Andreas Landmann (PhD in Economics at the University of Mannheim) “Essays on Formal Insurance and Informal Solidarity in Developing Countries”
3rd Prize: Katrin Merhof (PhD in Law at the University of Giessen) “Law and unlawfulness using the example of employment law and the flower industry in Columbia”
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Axel Dreher (University of Heidelberg)
Katja Michaelowa (University of Zurich)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2013

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Dominic Rohner (Assistant Professor University of Lausanne) “War Signals: A Theory of Trade, Trust and Conflict”, published in Review of Economic Studies
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
Kristina Czura (PhD in Economics at the University of Frankfurt) “Empirical Essays on Microfinance in South Asia – Financial Product Design, Borrower Welfare, and Risk Coping”
Philipp Kolo (PhD in Economics at the University of Göttingen) “New Approaches to the Dynamics, Measurement and Economic Implications of Ethnic Diversity”
Lena Luise Kroeker (PhD in Social Anthropology at the University of Bayreuth) “In between Life and Death – HIV-Positive Women in Lesotho and their Obstetric Choices”
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Axel Dreher (University of Heidelberg)
Katja Michaelowa (University of Zurich)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)  
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2012

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Isabel Günther (ETH Zurich) “Competitive and Segmented Informal Labor Markets”, published in Journal of Development Economics
Andrey Launov (University of Mainz)
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Nadine Reis (PhD at University of Bonn) “Tracing and Making the State – Policy Practices and Domestic Water Supply in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam”
2nd Prize: Kerstin Maria Humberg (PhD at University of Cologne) “Poverty Reduction through Social Business? Lessons Learnt from Grameen Joint Ventures in Bangladesh”
3rd Prize: Melanie Feuerbach (PhD at University of Bremen) „Alternative Übergangsrituale: Untersuchung zu Praktiken der weiblichen Genitalverstümmelung im subsaharischen Afrika und deren Transformationen im Entwicklungsprozess“
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Margit Bussmann (University of Greifswald)
Stephan Klasen (University of Göttingen)
Katja Michaelowa (University of Zurich)
Herman Waibel (University of Hannover)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2011

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Martin Qaim (University of Göttingen) “Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops for the Poor: Household Income, Nutrition, and Health”, published in New Biotechnology
Benedikt Korf (University of Zurich) “The gift of disaster: On the commodification of good intentions in Sri Lanka after the tsunami”, published in Disasters
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Kristina Kis-Katos (PhD at the University of Freiburg) “Globalization and Child Labor”
2nd Prize: Patrick Sakdapolrak (PhD in Geography at the University of Bonn) „Orte und Räume der Health Vulnerability. Bourdieus Theorie der Praxis für die Analyse von Krankheit und Gesundheit in megaurbanen Slums von Chennai, Südindien“
3rd Prize: James Rao (PhD in Agricultural Economics at the University of Göttingen) “High-value Agricultural Markets and Implications for Rural Development – The Case of Vegetables in Kenya”
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Stephan Klasen (University of Göttingen)
Katja Michaelowa (University of Zurich)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

2010

Scientific Excellence
Name and affiliation Article
Axel Dreher (Heidelberg University) “Development Aid and International Politics: Does membership on the UN Security Council influence World Bank decisions?”, published in Journal of Development Economics 88: 1-18 (2009)
Jan-Egbert Sturm (ETH Zürich)
James Vreeland (Georgeton University)
Young Researchers
Name and affiliation Dissertation
1st Prize: Devesh Rustagi (University of Zurich) ”Behavioral Heterogeneity and Human Cooperation”
2nd Prize: Johannes Gräb (University of Göttingen) “Econometric Analysis in Poverty Research – With Case Studies from Developing Countries”
3rd Prize: Simone Rettberg (Free University Berlin)  „Das Risiko der Afar – Existenzsicherung äthiopischer Nomaden im Kontext von Hungerkrisen, Konflikten und Entwicklungsinterventionen“
Prize Committee
Thomas Bierschenk (University of Mainz)
Stefanie Engel (ETH Zürich)
Stephan Klasen (University of Göttingen)
Thilo Marauhn (University of Giessen)
Joachim Heidebrecht (KfW Entwicklungsbank)

 

Scroll to top
en_USEnglish