Hi, I'm Matthew Olckers. Welcome to my research website.

I work as a researcher at the Centre for Household Finance, which is part of the Department of Economics at Stellenbosch University. My research interests include social networks, development economics, and household finance.

I am particularly interested in the intersection of economics and computer science, such as using mechanism design in practical applications or using alternative data sources to answer questions about poverty and development. I serve on the leadership of the Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization (EAAMO) initiative and I am an affiliate of SoDa Labs.

Outside of my research, I love spending time with my family, surfing, helping out at church, and seeing graffiti on trains. I compiled a book about graffiti in Cape Town, South Africa, which subsequently evolved into a documentary.