Alumni interview: Susanne Spector

Susanne Spector received her PhD from the Department of Economics in 2013 with the thesis “Essays on Unemployment Insurance Design”. Since then, she has worked as an economist at the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and at Nordea as Head of Macro Research SE. She now works as Chief Economist at Danske Bank.

Why did you choose to apply for the doctoral program at the Department of Economics?

There were a lot of coincidences, but when the opportunity arose, it felt like an obvious choice.

How was the time on the program – what support was offered and how was the collaboration with other researchers?

The doctoral program was a very fun time and it was a privilege to spend the days with other curious and socially interested people. The discussions around the lunch table were always exciting and there was a very nice community among the doctoral students. I also had the privilege of having two committed and supportive supervisors who opened doors to different types of research environments.

What competencies and skills did you develop during your time as a doctoral student that you have used since?

What I have mainly taken with me is a sense of security about what we know, what we do not know and what we can reasonably assume about how the economy works. I had both theoretical and empirical papers in my thesis and the theoretical ones in particular provided a good framework for interpreting and understanding economic developments that I benefit from every day.

How has your doctoral education influenced your professional career?

Having a doctorate is always a plus and in certain contexts a doctoral title carries important weight, but above all it is the knowledge and skills that I brought with me from Uppsala that have made a difference.

How has the network from your time on the program influenced your future career?

The network has mainly been important on a personal level – and it is both fun and rewarding to follow what everyone is up to today.

Do you have any advice or tips for those considering applying to the doctoral program in economics?

Have fun, research exciting questions and build on as much knowledge as possible about how the economy works. Go to seminars, conferences and try to contribute to the research environment in a positive way.