When Yaroslav Korobka, a CERGE-EI student with a deep passion for econometrics, received the unexpected suggestion “Princeton” during his DPW defense, it opened a path he hadn’t fully imagined. His mobility stay at Princeton University became a defining academic experience—shaping his research, expanding his network, and transforming both his skills and perspective. In this interview from the series Places You’ll Go, he shares what surprised him most about the teaching environment and the lessons he brought back for future CERGE-EI students. Continue reading “A New Door Opened”: Yaroslav Korobka’s Journey Through Academic Mobility
Category Archives: PhD
Confidence, Curiosity, and California: Reflections on a Study Stay
From Prague to Berkeley, this interview traces the academic and personal journey of our PhD student Tereza Burýšková, who spent a study stay
at the University of California, Berkeley. Her experiences open a new interview series titled Places You’ll Go, sharing reflections on the decision-making process, cultural adjustments, and differences in academic environments. The interview aims to encourage other students to take a similar step. It offers an honest look at what it means to move beyond one’s comfort zone. Continue reading Confidence, Curiosity, and California: Reflections on a Study Stay
Understanding Discrimination Through the Lens of Behavioral Economics
Discrimination, as defined in economics, occurs when two otherwise identical individuals or groups are treated differently based solely on a group attribute. In economic terms, discrimination leads to real losses in productivity and efficiency. When talent is overlooked, firms lose potential profit, and society wastes valuable human capital. In our latest episode of Talking Economics, Vojtěch Bartoš, Associate Professor at the University of Milan and CERGE-EI alumnus, explains how behavioral economics helps uncover the mechanisms behind bias — and how evidence-based tools can help reduce it. Continue reading Understanding Discrimination Through the Lens of Behavioral Economics
Meet Our Alumni: Linking Information, Behavior, and the Environment
What comes after a PhD? Our alumnus, Rastislav Rehák, reflects on his postdoctoral journey at the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods and the University of Cologne, where he explores new directions in behavioral and environmental economics, as well as the passion that keeps him balanced outside of academia. Continue reading Meet Our Alumni: Linking Information, Behavior, and the Environment
Meet Our Students: Sook Yan Siew
Sook Yan Siew shares her experiences as a PhD in Economics student at CERGE-EI and her role as an international student ambassador at Charles University. Looking ahead, she is considering a future in academia while also running her own NGO. She believes this path will allow her to balance her passion for long-term theoretical research with short-term practical work. Continue reading Meet Our Students: Sook Yan Siew
Meet Our Students: Raul Enrique Zavala Sanchez
In this short interview, Raul Enrique Zavala Sanchez shares his experience as a PhD in Economics student at CERGE-EI. Originally from Central America, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from a university in Vilnius, Lithuania, and later earned a Master’s degree in Finance. His interest in macroeconomics grew from a desire to understand the economic challenges of his home region. After discovering CERGE-EI, he moved to Prague to pursue his goal of conducting economic research. Looking ahead, he is considering a future in academia or a research-oriented role at an international organization such as the IMF or the World Bank. Continue reading Meet Our Students: Raul Enrique Zavala Sanchez
Meet Our Students: Sofiana Sinani’s paper won the Best Poster Prize at the Royal Economic Society Conference
What if parental leave policies shape more than just short-term labor outcomes? While much of the existing research focuses on how such policies impact parents’ careers, Sofiana Sinani, winner of the Best Poster Prize at the Royal Economic Society Conference 2025, took a different angle: How do extended periods of maternal care influence children’s future aspirations — especially their choice of university studies and careers? Her project examines a 1995 policy change in the Czech Republic, where mothers were offered the option to extend their leave beyond the standard job-protection period. The results are following: boys exposed to longer maternal care were significantly less likely to apply to stereotypically “female” fields, such as education or healthcare. The research suggests that parental leave doesn’t just affect today’s workforce — it can shape the beliefs and ambitions of the next generation. In this interview, we explore the project that earned Sofiana Sinani the Best Poster Prize at the Royal Economic Society Conference 2025.
Meet Our Alumni: Bridging Economics, Research, and Public Service
Karin Jõeveer, a CERGE-EI PhD alumna, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Department of Economics and Finance at Tallinn University of Technology. She also plays a central role in shaping Estonia’s economic strategy as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Estonian Central Bank and the Estonian Fiscal Council. In this interview, Karin reflects on the academic foundations that launched her career, the economic challenges Estonia faces today, and the decisions that will shape the future of the Eurozone. Continue reading Meet Our Alumni: Bridging Economics, Research, and Public Service
Highlights from the #AlumniLive Seminar with Jaroslav Borovička: On the Role of Expectations in Monetary Policy
On Friday, May 30th, we had the pleasure of welcoming back alumnus Jaroslav Borovička, now a professor at New York University. His talk, titled “Monetary Policy and Inflation Expectations,” focused on how households’ and firms’ expectations influence key macroeconomic outcomes. The event was organized as part of the CERGE-EI #AlumniLive series, which aims to create networking opportunities for CERGE-EI students and alumni while providing insights into successful career paths. Continue reading Highlights from the #AlumniLive Seminar with Jaroslav Borovička: On the Role of Expectations in Monetary Policy
Universal giftedness testing would help identify gifted children who are not caught by the current system
Interview with Alena Bičáková about the new study “What Do We (Not) Know About Quantitatively Gifted Pupils? The Czech Republic in International Comparison” Continue reading Universal giftedness testing would help identify gifted children who are not caught by the current system