Mathilde Muñoz: among the finalists for the 2026 Best Young Economist Award

At just 31 years old, Mathilde Muñoz (Class of 2016, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences), a former student of ENS Paris-Saclay, is among the four economists recognized by the jury of the Best Young Economist Prize 2026, organized by Le Monde and Le Cercle des économistes. An assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, she stands out for her work on the effects of globalization, taxation, and social policies on contemporary inequalities.

“One cannot decide on economic integration between several countries without carefully considering differences in social and fiscal regulation. We now know that this does not work well,” she explains (Le Monde, March 30, 2026).

Mathilde Muñoz’s academic trajectory follows the tradition of France’s elite educational tracks. After outstanding secondary studies, she entered a preparatory class for the grandes écoles (CPGE), where she specialized in economics and mathematics, developing a strong command of analytical and quantitative tools.

Admitted to ENS Paris-Saclay, she pursued a demanding training in economics, combining economic theory, econometrics, and public policy. Alongside her studies at ENS, she furthered her education with a master’s degree at ENSAE Paris, a leading institution in statistics, quantitative economics, and data science.

She then completed her PhD at the Paris School of Economics, where she developed innovative empirical approaches based on detailed international datasets, enabling her to renew the analysis of the determinants of economic exchanges. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the interactions between tax policies, labor regulations, and international trade.

Now an assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Mathilde Muñoz belongs to a generation of economists engaged in public debate, committed to rethinking the foundations of globalization and European integration. Her trajectory illustrates the essential role of academic research in understanding global economic and social imbalances.

Her recent work notably shows that differences in social and fiscal regulation strongly influence trade flows between countries, particularly for labor-intensive goods and services. These findings qualify traditional analyses based solely on specialization or productivity and open the way for new public policies that reconcile competitiveness, tax fairness, and social justice.

For Mathilde Muñoz, thinking about a fairer globalization requires avoiding a “race to the bottom” in taxation and regulation. Her proposals contribute to shaping a crucial reflection on the future of the European project and the construction of more inclusive economies.

The entire ENS community welcomes this recognition, which highlights the remarkable contribution of an alumna of ENS Paris-Saclay to international economic research.

Alongside Mathilde Muñoz, the jury also recognized Adrien Bilal (Stanford University) for his research on the geographical dimension of climate shocks, Lucas Chancel (Sciences Po) for his work on inequalities and the environment, and Maxime Menuet (Université Côte d’Azur) for his research on public debt. Together, these four economists illustrate a new generation that reinvests the great traditions of economic science to shed light on the major challenges of our time. Their work will contribute to discussions at the upcoming Rencontres économiques d’Aix-en-Provence, organized by Le Cercle des économistes, where they will be invited to present their research and engage with actors from the academic, economic, and political spheres.

The jury of the Best Young Economist Prize received 56 applications this year, a stable volume compared to 2025, including 24 new candidates reflecting the renewal of the discipline. The feminization of the field is progressing markedly, with women representing 43% of applicants, compared to 36% in 2025, and more than one-third of candidates now working abroad, a sign of the growing internationalization of career paths. The prize recognizes both academic excellence and the ability to contribute to public debate on major contemporary issues, whether climate, inequality, public debt, or international taxation.