Gustavo Gonzaga holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from PUC-Rio. He is a Full Professor in the Department of Economics at PUC-Rio, where he has been a faculty member since 1993.

His primary research focus is Labor Economics, with an emphasis on the effects of labor market institutions in Brazil on employment, turnover, and inequality. In particular, his work examines how Brazilian labor legislation creates incentives that contribute to the country’s high job turnover and low labor productivity. His recent research explores topics such as (i) the unemployment insurance system and firing costs, (ii) gender wage differentials, (iii) the Minha Casa, Minha Vida housing program, and (iv) the minimum wage. His work lies at the intersection of Labor Economics, Economic Development, Public Finance, and International Economics and has been published in leading international journals, including American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Quantitative Economics, Labour Economics, Journal of International Economics, and Journal of Development Economics, as well as top economic journals in Brazil.

He is the founder and lead developer of Datazoom, a widely used platform for accessing microdata from IBGE household surveys and the Amazon region (Datazoom Amazônia). Currently, he serves as Head of the Department of Economics at PUC-Rio. Previously, he held various leadership positions, including Vice-Chair of the Department (2021–2024), Director of Graduate Studies (2012–2020, 2003–2008), Head of the Department (1997–1999), and Director of Undergraduate Studies (1993–1995).