Bio
Constanza Avalos is currently pursuing a PhD in Social Statistics at the Cathie Marsh Institute, University of Manchester (UoM). With a background in Sociology and Economics, she also holds an MSc in Social Research Methods and Statistics from UoM. Constanza has gained extensive experience in leading research projects within public and private institutions in Chile, focusing on survey design and quantitative data analysis. She previously served as head of the Department of Agricultural Studies at the Chilean National Institute of Statistics and has conducted research on macroeconomic growth, food security, and the food industry. Her work has been published by national and international organizations including the Chilean Central Bank, Minister of Economy, as well as the Food And Agriculture Organization of the United Nations where it contributed to methodological advancements within this field.
Research interests
Constanza's doctoral study, supported by the National Agency for Research and Development – Becas Chile, investigates the influence of food label policies on consumer behavior using a causal inference framework. This research seeks to provide significant contributions to public health studies by assessing how food and ecolabels can aid in addressing global obesity rates. These labels offer clear nutritional information to steer consumers toward healthier options; however, their impact varies across different demographic segments. At the Alan Turing Institute, Constanza will focus on integrating observational and experimental data to comprehend how these regulations shape individual decision-making processes. Much of the existing literature relies on controlled experiments that may not fully mirror real-world conditions—crucial for effectively guiding policymakers in their interventions. In addition, Constanza plans to collaborate with dedicated colleagues to explore the potential role of digital twins in the fight against food insecurity as she is currently participating in the University of Manchester's Researcher to Innovator Programme, where she is developing a prototype digital twin. Constanza strongly believes that data integration and data science are key tools to understand the benefits of healthier and more sustainable diets, which will be fundamental in tackling the escalation of diet-related deaths around the world.