Diego Aycinena, Ph.D.

Diego Aycinena is a Professor of Economics at Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala City, Guatemala where he also serves as the Director of the Vernon Smith Center for Experimental Economics. Dr. Aycinena attained his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University where his dissertation, Designing an Integrated Combinatorial Auction for Energy and Reserves for Electric Power Markets, was written under the direction of Vernon Smith. In 2009, he advised Guatemalan electric power regulators (CNEE) on the design of a procurement auction for six BOO (build, own and operate) contracts for high power transmission facilities. Tailored to the specific circumstances of the market, regulators are implementing a first-price sealed bid combinatorial auction mechanism designed by Dr. Aycinena.