Dr. Thomas Schaper

Thomas Schaper is an Advanced Researcher in ZEW’s Research Unit “Economics of Innovation and Industrial Dynamics” which he joined in 2024. His research interests lie in the economics of science and innovation, particularly in questions concerning the impact of institutions on scientific progress and technical change, the returns to scientific human capital, and the allocation of resources in research and innovation. 

Before joining ZEW, Thomas was a postdoctoral researcher at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). He received his PhD from KU Leuven (Belgium) in late 2021. During his doctoral studies, he held a PhD Fellowship from the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) between 2017–2021. From 2023 to 2026, he also held an Add-on Fellowship for Economics awarded by the Joachim Herz Foundation. He has taught at TUM, KU Leuven, the University of Marburg, and DHBW Stuttgart. As a policy expert and project lead, he advises governmental and non-governmental organizations on higher education, research, and innovation policy.      

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