Dr. Manuel Staab is a Lecturer in Economics in the School of Economics at the University of Queensland, part of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law. His research focuses on microeconomic theory, including information economics, game theory, networks, economic aspects of social interactions, problems of information misperception, and the use of theoretical and experimental methods. Staab joined the University of Queensland in October 2023. Previously, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Aix-Marseille School of Economics (AMSE) from 2020 to 2023 and worked as a consultant applying game theory to procurement problems and contract negotiations.

Staab obtained his PhD in Economics from the London School of Economics in 2018, with a thesis titled 'Essays in Microeconomic Theory' supervised by Dr. Francesco Nava and Professor Balázs Szentes. He also completed an MRes in Economics (2012–2013) and an MSc in Economics (2011–2012), both with Distinction, and a BSc in Economics and Economic History (2008–2011), receiving the Lilian Knowles Prize, all at the LSE. Earlier in his career, he served as an LSE Fellow in Economics (2013–2016), Graduate Teaching Assistant at LSE (2011–2013 and 2016–2018) for courses including Microeconomic Principles, Advanced Microeconomics, and Macroeconomic Principles, and Adjunct Instructor at Richmond, The American International University in London (2013–2017), teaching Intermediate Microeconomics, Principles of Investment, and Introduction to Microeconomics. He received LSE Economics Departmental Awards in 2013–2015 and 2017.

Staab's publications appear in leading journals. Notable works include 'The formation of social groups under status concern' (Journal of Economic Theory, 2024), 'Efficiency and resilience of cooperation in asymmetric social dilemmas' with Valentin Hübner, Christian Hilbe, Maria Kleshnina, and Krishnendu Chatterjee (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2024), 'Time-dependent strategies in repeated asymmetric public goods games' with Valentin Hübner, Christian Hilbe, Maria Kleshnina, and Krishnendu Chatterjee (Dynamic Games and Applications, 2025), and 'Evolution of risk-taking behaviour and status preferences in anti-coordination games' (Dynamic Games and Applications, 2023). At UQ, he teaches courses such as ECON6201 and ECON7030 and delivers seminars, including 'Cooperating on Networks: Inequality and Social Structure'.

Professional Email: m.staab@uq.edu.au