Biography
Maria Capt will start her PhD in Applied Public Policy at King’s College London in October 2025. Her research, titled “Behavioral Insights and Change Interventions of Social Norms in Desired Fertility of Educated Women,” investigates the role of behavioral science in informing policy interventions aimed at improving fertility outcomes. Her work applies an evidence-based approach, with a particular emphasis on social influence, social capital, and status dynamics. Using randomized controlled trials, she examines the effectiveness of behaviorally informed strategies in shifting social norms and aligning policy tools with individual fertility intentions.
She holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Geneva, an MSc in Eurasian Economics (with distinction) from MGIMO University in Moscow, and an MSc in Management and Public Governance from the London School of Economics.
Maria’s professional experience in both the private and public sectors has focused on improving public policy provision. She has worked in management consulting at KPMG and held roles in state libraries and international cultural institutions, emphasizing private sector practices being included in policy implementation. In addition, she provides project-based advisory services to national governments and local authorities in areas aligned with her academic interests, particularly the application of behavioral insights to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public policy design. She is also the author of a book on child development that translates recent scientific research into accessible, practical guidance for parents.
Research interests
- Behavioral economics
- Behavioral Public policy
- Public Management
- Welfare
- Education
- Child & Family
Supervisor: Sanchayan Banerjee