I am a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at Northwestern University. My research focuses on development and labor economics, with a particular interest in labor markets in developing countries, education, and the role of public policies in improving the lives of the poor. I also study the economics of crime and the organization of illicit activities, exploring how criminal dynamics interact with formal economic behavior and policy interventions.

Contact Information

Department of Economics
Northwestern University

Phone: 475-731 1065
Email: elizabethjaramillorojas2026@u.northwestern.edu
Personal Website: https://elizabethjaramillor.github.io/

Education

Ph.D., Economics, Northwestern University (expected) 2026
M.A., Economics, Northwestern University, 2021
M.Sc., Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, Tilburg University, 2017
M.A., Economics, Universidad de Los Andes, 2016
B.Sc., Industrial Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, 2016
B.A., Economics, Universidad de Los Andes, 2015

Primary Fields of Specialization

Development Economics, Economics of Crime, Labor Economics

Secondary Fields of Specialization

Public Economics

Curriculum Vitae

Download Vita (PDF)

Job Market Paper

“Beyond Recipients: Sibling Spillovers of College Financial Aid”
(with Juan Bedoya, Fabio Sánchez-Torrez)
This paper studies sibling spillovers from a large-scale college financial aid program in Colombia. In 2014, the government launched Ser Pilo Paga (“Hard Work Pays Off””), a merit- and need-based scholarship targeting high-achieving students from low-income households. Eligibility was determined jointly by household poverty status and performance on the national high school exit exam. I use these criteria as a source of quasi-random variation to estimate effects on younger siblings’ outcomes. When an older sibling qualifies, younger siblings’ exam scores rise by 0.11 standard deviations (26 percent), their probability of immediate college enrollment increases by 14 percent, and enrollment shifts toward high- quality, mostly private, universities. Labor outcomes follow a U-shape: employment falls in the first four years as college attendance rises but is 3.2 percentage points higher by year six. We also find large social returns: the probability of a criminal conviction among younger siblings falls by 63 percent, with effects concentrated in the poorest households. Younger siblings of students who were close to receiving the scholarship also show modest gains, consistent with increased motivation and with reallocation effects, as eligible students shift toward private universities and free up scarce seats in competitive public institutions. Overall, the results show that financial aid programs can generate sizable within-family spillovers, extending beyond education to labor markets and crime.

Working Papers

“Drug Eradication, Agriculture, and the Formal Economy: Spillovers from Coca Fumigation”
[Draft coming soon]

There is a large proliferation of illegal activities in most countries, which likely has deep economic implications. This paper evaluates the interaction between illegal activities and the formal economy. To do this, I take advantage of one of the largest anti-drug actions in a drug producing country: Colombia’s Drug Eradication Program (DEP). The program began in 1994, but in 1999, it saw a significant escalation when aerial spraying of industrial coca crops became the cornerstone of Plan Colombia. Importantly, before 2003, a decree exempted peasants with no more than three hectares from being sprayed, as aerial fumigations were justified as only targeting commercial plantations. My analysis yields three main results. First, I find that coca cultivation decreases by 63 percent in commercial plantations. Second, I show the presence of spillover effects resulting from the DEP. I use a difference-in-differences design leveraging time variation (before and after the start of Plan Colombia in 1999) and spatial variation by comparing municipalities suitable for coca cultivation with less suitable ones. Compared to the control group, suitable areas (outside of commercial plantations) saw an average increase of 21 hectares of coca cultivation per 1,000 hectares of agricultural land. Third, I then ask how anti-drug actions in key coca hubs leads to an increase in coca in other suitable municipalities. I find that one of the mechanisms behind this shift is consistent with internal migration. I also show that when demand for illicit crops increases, tax revenue from commerce and industry decreases by 10.2 percent.

“The Effect of Maternity Leave Policies on Local Labor Market Outcomes”
(with Karla Hernandez)

We investigate the impact of gender on labor market informality in Brazil, specifically examining firms’ contract offerings and the gender wage gap. We employ an event study that leverages labor inspections and maternity leave extensions, alongside a structural model, to analyze how firms adjust their hiring practices in anticipation of the costs associated with hiring women. Our study addresses critical questions regarding the determinants of contract offerings, the role of these contracts in contributing to the wage gap, and the strategic use of informal contracts. Our findings reveal significant gender-specific responses from firms following audits, indicating notable differences in hiring and contracting strategies. Furthermore, we plan to explore how the types of contracts offered to women influence the persistent wage gap. By developing a theoretical framework that incorporates worker-side factors influencing contract acceptance, we will enhance our understanding of the dynamics within the informal labor market.

Work in Progress

“Expanding College Access and the Opportunity Costs of Criminal Engagement”
(with Nathalie Basto and Ervyn Norza)

“Unpacking School Value Added: Education Quality, Spending, and Crime in Chile”
(with Gregory Elacqua and Isabela Munevar)

“Preventing School Dropout through a Teacher Chatbot”
(with Gregory Elacqua Raquel Fernandez, and Ana Teresa del Toro)

Teaching

Northwestern University:

Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award, Northwestern University, 2024, 2025

• Economics of Gender, Winter 2025, Winter 2024, Fall 2024
• Labor Economics, Spring 2024, Fall 2022
• Introduction to Microeconomics, Winter 2023, Spring, Winter 2022, Fall 2021

• Intermediate Econometrics, 2014

References

Prof. Christopher Udry (Committee Co-Chair)
Prof. Lori Beaman (Committee Co-Chair)
Prof. Elisa Jacome