Dr Rubén Martínez Cárdenas
Lecturer

Profile

Biography

Rubén is a lecturer at the Department of Economics and Related Studies at the University of York. Before joining York, he was a senior lecturer in economics at De Montfort University. His teaching and research interests are microeconomics, economic design, financial intermediation, and applications of digital technologies for development. 

Rubén co-organises the Summer of Science programme, a collaboration between members of the Mechanism Design for Social Good initiative, the Science and Technology Council of San Luis Potosí, and the National Network of Councils and State Organizations of Science and Technology (REDNACECYT). 

He did his PhD in Economics at the University of York, his MA in Economics and Public Policy at Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), and his BA in Economics at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

Departmental roles

Rubén is the Technology Champion, Library Officer, and part of the Undergraduate Exceptional Circumstances Committee for the Department of Economics and Related Studies.

Research

Overview

Rubén likes both applied theory and empirical research. In particular, he is interested in research on financial intermediation, economic design, applications of digital technologies for development, well-being, and social welfare. Rubén is particularly interested in work related to economic and social development as well as research at the intersection of economics and computer science.

• Microeconomics
• Financial intermediation
• Technology and development
• Well-being and social welfare

Publications

Full publications list

Articles

• Confianza y Capital Social: Evidencia para México. Revista Economía Sociedad y Territorio. Vol XV, no. 48, May 2015. With Edgardo Ayala Gaytan and Ernesto Aguayo Tellez.
• A Quantitative Analysis of Social Capital in Mexico. Well-being and Social Policy Journal. Vol. 9 no. 1, First Semester 2014. With Edgardo Ayala Gaytan and Ernesto Aguayo Tellez.
• Sobre la Financiación del Desarrollo. Entorno Económico. No. 237, March/April, 2002. With Ernesto Sepúlveda Villarreal.

Book Chapters

• Evolución Reciente y Retos de la Economía de Nuevo Léon. In Retos y Políticas Públicas para Nuevo León, Edgardo Ayala Gaytán and Daniel Flores Curiel (Coord). Tendencias, UANL, 2011. With Edgardo Ayala Gaytan.
• Diagnóstico sobre la Situación del Agua en Nuevo León. In Retos y Políticas Públicas para Nuevo León, Edgardo Ayala Gaytán and Daniel Flores Curiel (Coord). Tendencias, UANL, 2011. With Francisco Villarreal.

Research projects

• Measuring the impact of MedicSpot GP consultations

Project type: Consultancy project

Funder: Willows Health

Description: We evaluated patient experience and satisfaction, and the cost effectiveness of medical consultations using telemedicine technology.

Dates: 5 Aug 2021 - 17 Dec 2021

Role: Principal Investigator

Budget: £10,000

Status: Completed

• Engaging the community in designing a smart city

Project type: Research project

Funder: The Alan Turing Institute

Description: In this project we engage with people from across Leicester to inform

policy, shape the delivery of the smart city, and explore how people can benefit from

the opportunities that a smart city will provide. This project supported and trained five

community reporters who ’got people talking’ in different ways about what a smart city means for them, via community radio and ‘Wicked’ Problem’ solving’.

Dates: 20 June 2022 - 30 March 2023

Role: Co-investigator

Budget: £10,000

Status: Completed

Teaching

Undergraduate

• Principles of Economics, Microeconomics (ECO00023C-A) 
• Contemporary Economic Issues and Analysis (ECO00039H)
• Economics Dissertation: Microeconomics (ECO00045H)

Postgraduate

• Applied Microeconomics (ECO00096M-A)
• Pre-sessional Microeconomics

‘I don't believe I can really do without teaching’ - Richard P. Feynman 

"One of the reasons why I did my PhD and joined academia is because I love teaching. I like research a lot, but teaching gives me that special feeling that I am contributing, somehow, to society. It’s also an opportunity to learn and interact with those who will shape the future of society. 

I have experience teaching in undergraduate and graduate programmes. I have taught microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, applied economics, international economics, experimental economics, advanced mathematics, managerial economics (information, incentives, behavioural), applied econometrics, probability, statistics, economic data analysis." - Rubén