Robert Garlick is an economist studying labor markets in developing economies, particularly how to reduce search and matching frictions to increase employment, earnings and productivity. He also studies how labor markets intersect with government policies on income support and public works employment, as well as researching human capital and on data collection and analysis methods.

He is currently an assistant professor in the Duke University Economics Department and an affiliate at the Poverty Action Lab. He previously worked in the World Bank's Development Research Group and studied at the University of Michigan and University of Cape Town.