2023 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Ricardo Perez-Truglia, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business

Ricardo Perez-Truglia

UC Berkeley Haas School of Business

“Ricardo is one of the most impactful professors I have learned from in my educational career. He takes complex economic concepts and breaks down the core elements and key intuitions for application into our everyday professional and personal lives. He has influenced how I evaluate potential projects and my overall learning process. He also makes course curriculum accessible regardless of your professional background so everyone can have an insightful takeaway from his teaching.” – Lauren Gamboa

Ricardo Perez-Truglia, 39, is an associate professor at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

He grew up in the Ciudadela neighborhood near Buenos Aires, Argentina. He conducts economics research on various topics including behavioral economics, public economics, labor economics, and political economy. 

In 2020, he was named a Sloan Research Fellow, an award that recognizes outstanding early-career faculty who have the potential to revolutionize their fields of study. In 2022, he was awarded the Earl F. Cheit Award for Excellence in MBA Teaching. He also works as a scholar for Amazon, where he conducts research to improve employee satisfaction, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

BACKGROUND

At current institution since what year? June 2020 

Education: Ph.D. in Economics, Harvard University

List of MBA courses you currently teach: Microeconomics

TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… I found out there is free food in the faculty lounge.

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? We are starting a new project to understand how employers become aware of gender pay gaps among their employees and how they respond to such information.

If I weren’t a business school professor… I would have liked to start a company. 

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? My thick Argentine accent. I hope that when my students think about price elasticity, they can hear an Argentinean accent in their minds.

One word that describes my first time teaching: Adrenaline.

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: the free food in the faculty lounge was a one-time thing.

Professor I most admire and why: I can’t choose just one, as there are too many people I look up to. For instance, Raj Chetty from Harvard, Stefano DellaVigna from UC Berkeley, and Romain Wacziarg from UCLA have all been excellent mentors and role models.

TEACHING MBA STUDENTS

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? I have a lot of fun during my lectures. By the end, I may be exhausted, but the experience is incredibly rewarding.

What is most challenging? Given that some students have a stronger background in economics than others, I strive to strike a balance in my class. I need to make the material accessible enough for some while ensuring it remains challenging enough for others.

In a word, describe your favorite type of student: Teaching students from diverse backgrounds, interests, and skills is a privilege. Everyone has something unique to bring to the classroom.

In a word, describe your least favorite type of student: Once in a blue moon, I have a student who is a supporter of Boca Juniors.

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… My students are smart enough to know they shouldn’t care about grades.

LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

What are your hobbies? I love playing soccer. I enjoy playing with my kids, and I also play with the graduate students at UC Berkeley. However, I’m getting too old to keep up with them.

How will you spend your summer? We are doing a family trip to Argentina. Due to the pandemic, we haven’t been back home in a long time. I can’t wait to take my kids to the River Plate stadium to watch a game!

Favorite place(s) to vacation: We are deeply in love with Mexico.

Favorite book(s): Ficciones, by Jorge Luis Borges.

What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? Nueve Reinas is an Argentine classic.

What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I listen to a wide variety of styles, but my go-to is Argentine cumbia or cuarteto (e.g., Leo Mattioli, Rodrigo). 

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this… I believe that in the not-too-distant future, most MBA teaching will take place remotely or online.

In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… allowing every employee to reach their full potential, regardless of gender or ethnicity.

I’m grateful for… my family.

DON’T MISS: THE ENTIRE 2023 ROSTER OF THE WORLD’S BEST 40-UNDER-40 MBA PROFESSORS