Sebastian Cifuentes

Sebastian Cifuentes is a Finance Ph.D. Candidate, researching entrepreneurship, housing markets, and economic inequality. His work examines how neighborhood dynamics influence entrepreneurial activity and business formation through innovative nearest-neighbor research designs. Cifuentes' research also explores housing market dynamics, banking industry concentration effects, and the relationship between land-use regulations and political participation. He holds an M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering (summa cum laude) from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and has been recognized with the Richard Libby Graduate Research Award and Rady Academic Year Fellowship. With technical expertise in data analysis and prior experience as a Senior Financial Engineer, Cifuentes brings both academic rigor and practical knowledge to his research on economic mobility and neighborhood effects.