Education: B.A., Universidad del Pacífico, Perú; M.A., Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh

• Social Protection Systems
• Poverty
• Pension/Healthcare Reforms in Latin America
• Economic development

Maria Cruz-Saco will return to teaching economics at Connecticut College in 2008-2009, after spending the 2007-2008 academic year researching in Peru as a Fulbright Scholar. As a Fulbright Scholar, Cruz-Saco is leading a United Nations study on aging, equity and income security at the Universidad del Pacifico’s Research Center in Lima.

Previously, Maria Cruz-Saco served as dean of the college at Wesleyan University. She also served as Interim Dean of Connecticut College from 2003 to 2005, as Chair of the Presidential Commission on a Pluralistic Community for 2002-2003, and formerly held the Lenore Tingle Howard '42 Chair in Economics.

An expert on economic development and Latin American economies, Professor Cruz-Saco's extensive research and consulting brings a practical experience to her courses on the economics of Latin America.

Professor Cruz-Saco teaches seminars on specialized topics in the economies of Latin America (for example, emerging issues affecting economic growth and equity, role of international organizations, the impact of the Asian crisis, structural reforms and adoption of neo-liberal policymaking, health care and pension reform, the "informal" sector); Economic development in Latin America, Perspectives on Development; Intermediate, Advanced (open) and Topics in Macroeconomics and Monetary Theory; Econometrics I and Statistical Research Methods (using computational packages; Introduction to Microeconomics and Introduction to Macroeconomics.

Cruz-Saco has acted as a consultant on numerous national projects in Paraguay and Guatemala. Recently she has been Senior Social Affairs Officer (P-5), Division of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations-New York, February-August 2001; Consultant, Health-Care Reform in El Salvador, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, San Salvador, October- November 2000; Consultant, Analysis of the Private Pension Fund System in Peru and Recommendations for its Reform, Superintendencia de Banca y Seguros, Lima, Peru, June-August 1998; Vice-president for Development, COFIDE (Corporación Financiera de Desarrollo), Lima, Peru, January 1997-August 1997; and Principal Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, COFIDE, Lima, Peru, July 1996 - January 1997.

She has been a frequent consultant to the Inter American Development Bank and the US Agency for International Development regarding social security, pension, and insurance programs in Guatemala and Peru. She also published a four volume work on Peru's largest zinc refinery titled Economic and Financial Evaluation of Cajamarquilla (1985) as part of her consulting work for the World Bank on a public management program. In addition, she has held research positions in several organizations, including the Peruvian Development Finance Corporation and the Central Reserve Bank of Peru.

Cruz-Saco served as a member of the Connecticut College Faculty Grievances Committee, 1997-2000, reelected 2001-2004; Chair, Priorities, Planning and Budget Committee, 1999-2000; and served as Chair of the Economics department from 1997-2000.

A former recipient of the USA Government Award from United States Information Agency, Cruz-Saco is on the Board of Economists of Lima, Peru, and is listed in Who's Who in the World.

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