ProfessorStefanie Schurer

Professor Stefanie Schurer is an internationally recognised expert in the Economics of Human Development, Lifecycle Analysis, and Econometric Methods. Her research examines how public policy shapes human development, wellbeing, and inequality, with a particular focus on government paternalism and its role in addressing harmful or risky behaviours. She leads research using linked administrative, cohort, and longitudinal data to study issues such as the wellbeing of Indigenous children and communities, the impacts of child protection interventions, alcohol restrictions, and experiences surrounding birth care and separation. Professor Schurer’s work is widely published across economics (e.g. The Economic Journal, European Economic Review, Journal of Human Resources), econometrics (e.g. Journal of Applied Econometrics), medicine (e.g. The Lancet, BMJ), science (e.g. Nature), and public health (e.g. International Journal of Epidemiology). She is Co-Editor of Labour Economics (Elsevier) and has been recognised for both research and teaching excellence, receiving the Economic Society of Australia’s Young Economist of the Year Award and the University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Teaching and Research in 2021 and the FASS Senior Researcher Excellence Award in 2025.