#TimetoMeet: Alberto Abadie

5 Jun 2026

2 min read

In our #TimetoMeet series we introduce members of the Gerzensee community and talk to them about their relationship with time. In this interview, it’s time to meet Alberto Abadie, Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In your opinion, what is the most important economic challenge of our time?

One of the most important challenges of our time is learning how to live together in a world where technology has pushed much of social life into public view, turning ordinary disagreements into performances before large audiences. Small conflicts escalate quickly because the environment rewards outrage, performative certainty, and moral posturing over deliberation and careful thought.

Time is money, so as an economist what would you like to invest more time in?

I would invest more time in long, uninterrupted stretches of research. As an academic career advances, research time becomes fragmented by meetings, committee work, travel, and email. I miss the days when I could sit with a question for days at a time.

And which activity do you find the biggest waste of time?

It may not qualify as a waste of time, but I strongly dislike grading.

If you had a free ride on a time machine, what year would you travel to?

To the future, of course. I would like to see where all this goes.

Which is your favorite time of the year, and why?

Living in New England, it is hard to choose one favorite time of the year. Each one has a distinct personality, and I like the clarity of those contrasts.

What celebrity would you love to spend some time with?

I am not big on celebrities. My family is the center of my life, and I would rather spend time with them.

About our Interviewee:

Alberto Abadie is Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research spans econometrics and empirical economics, with seminal contributions to causal inference, program evaluation, and the econometrics of policy analysis. His work has been published in leading journals including the American Economic Review, Econometrica, the Review of Economic Studies, and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. He is an elected Fellow of the Econometric Society and a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Professor Abadie is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Causal Inference. He received his PhD from MIT and previously was a Professor at Harvard University.