Wifag Adnan
Associate Professor of Economics
Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: BS Duke University (magna cum laude with distinction); PhD Princeton University
Research Areas: Labor markets; Job search; Employment; Wage differentials; Female labor force; Education
Wifag Adnan completed her PhD in Economics from Princeton University and specialized in Labor Economics and Development Economics. Her research is primarily concerned with the influence of major events, such as conflict, elections, and institutional or economic reforms, on labor market outcomes. These outcomes span labor mobility, job search, the propensity to migrate, unemployment, labor market segmentation, female labor force participation, and wage differentials. The primary aim of her research is to identify the mechanisms and channels by which policies, events and reforms shape outcomes for both the general population as well as vulnerable subgroups, with the hope of formulating policy recommendations that increase social welfare. Most of her work takes place in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region or involves racial and ethnic minority groups in Western countries. She has been invited by well-known government entities including the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (formerly known as the Ministry of Labor) to conduct labor market research and make policy recommendations related to meeting strategic national goals.