Dr. Eleonora Dávalos’s joins the University of Texas at Dallas as a Fulbright Scholar, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a research focus that has been deeply influenced by the challenges facing rural Colombia.
Her academic journey began with a BS in Economics from Universidad del Valle, followed by an MS in Environmental Economics from Universidad de los Andes. She further advanced her expertise with a PhD in Public Policy from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Now an Associate Professor of Economics at Universidad EAFIT in Colombia, Dr. Dávalos has spent over a decade dedicated to analyzing the impacts of strategies aimed at controlling illicit crops. Her work is driven by a commitment to not only discouraging smallholders from cultivating coca crops but also designing sustainable alternatives that enhance the lives of those in conflict-affected areas.
The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Grant has provided Dr. Dávalos with the opportunity to generate new knowledge and collaborate with international scholars at UTD. During her time at UTD, from August 2024 to January 2025, she aims to build a common research agenda that can contribute to more effective and humane policies in Colombia and beyond.
Dr. Dávalos’s work is not just about analyzing the present; it’s about shaping a better future for communities that have been marginalized and impacted by decades of conflict. Her research at UTD is a continuation of her lifelong commitment to making a difference, both in Colombia and on the global stage.