Çiğdem Ekiz is a Ph.D. fellow in UNU-MERIT since 2023. She has a strong research interest in the fields of Economics of Innovation and Labor Economics, focusing specifically on the effects of innovation on firm and labor dynamics. She holds a Master's and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Middle East Technical University (METU) in Turkey. Additionally, she gained valuable experience as a research assistant for three years at Middle East Technical University.