Dr. Michael Stepner is an assistant professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Toronto, where he studies public finance and health economics. His research examines the relationship between health and economic inequality—with a focus on how public policy can improve the health and financial security of low-income populations.

Dr. Stepner’s studies in economics began with his bachelor’s degree at McGill University in his hometown of Montreal, where he was awarded the Governor General’s Academic Medal as the top graduating student from McGill’s class of 2012. He received his PhD from MIT in 2019, and his dissertation research was awarded the top dissertation award in 2020 from the National Academy of Social Insurance. In between his undergraduate and graduate studies, Dr. Stepner was a pre-doctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights lab where he now serves as an affiliated Research Principal.