Laura Elizabeth Moreno-Gama

Laura is a Political Science Ph.D. student at UCSB and a 2035 Initiative Ph.D. Fellow. She earned both her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Economics from Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia. Her research focuses on the political economy of conflict and how it shapes the green energy transition in Latin America, primarily through experimental and quasi-experimental methods. She is also interested in the ways fiscal policies influence state capacity and institution-building in fragile settings. Prior to joining UCSB, she worked at New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi and Universidad del Rosario. In addition, she has professional experience in the energy sector—particularly in nuclear energy in the United Arab Emirates—and has conducted research on public goods provision and armed conflict in Colombia.