JP Bastos

Download my CV

I am a PhD candidate at the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, and a Research Assistant at the Free Market Institute, both at Texas Tech University.

My research uses modern causal inference techniques to answer empirical questions on political economy and economic development, particularly in Latin America. At Texas Tech, I received the Davis College Outstanding Graduate Researcher Award and the Graduate School’s Horn Distinguished Professors Graduate Achievement Award for Outstanding Research.

My Job Market Paper investigates the private returns to political office for Brazilian mayors, using a regression discontinuity design around close election races. It was awarded the 2026 Elinor and Vincent Ostrom Prize for best paper by a graduate student at the Annual Meetings of the Public Choice Society.

I have worked as a policy analyst in the Executive and Legislative branches of City of Porto Alegre, Brazil, where I got to work on important economic reforms. I discuss policy issues as a regular contributor to Exame, and my policy papers have been featured in some of the most popular media outlets in Brazil.

I also run the Public Choice in Latin America project, with Nicolás Cachanosky.