With Dr. Jeffrey Michler, I run the Applied International Development Economics Lab (AIDE Lab). We research a range of topics in applied economics around the world. We presently have MSc Graduate Research Assistantship opportunities available for students interested in working on issues of food security, agriculture, and shocks. We are seeking students with expertise in statistical analysis and programming (e.g. Stata, Python, R). For details on some of our current students, recent graduates, and their work, see below.

We are an Environment and Resilience Vertically Integrated Team, focused on increasing the accessibility of research opportunities for underrepresented groups. The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIPs) take a transformative approach to enhancing higher education by engaging undergraduate and graduate students in ambitious, long-term, large-scale, multidisciplinary project teams.

As part of our commitment to training and mentoring the next generation or researchers have previously offered undergraduate internships, with the generous sponsorship of the Resilience Internships and Student Experience (RISE) program for mentoring in a small-group setting by AIDE Lab members on how to formulate a research question and how to conduct data analysis in applied economics. To learn more about our interns, please visit the AIDE Lab Internship page. If you are interested in sponsoring more internships in the future, please reach out to me.

Maria Camila Salamanca Patiño: MSc in Applied Economics & Policy Analysis. Expected Graduation Date: May 2026.

Maria Camila is an economist from Universidad del Valle, Colombia, with experience in the sugarcane industry. She is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis. Her interests include development and behavioral economics, especially how incentives influence behavior for collective well being. She is conducting thesis research on long term impacts of financial community transformation in northern Bangladesh.

Degrees: Bachelor of Economics, Major of Economics; Universidad Del Valle, Colombia

Research Project: Taka the Lead: Women, Wallets, and Financial Empowerment in Bangladesh

Joseph Lanser: MSc in Applied Economics & Policy Analysis. Expected Graduation Date: May 2026.

Joseph holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Water Resource Economics, and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Econometrics at the University of Arizona. His academic interests center around behavioral economics and consumer decision-making. He is currently an intern with Salt River Project in Phoenix, where he supports load forecasting and data analysis in the energy sector.

Degrees: B.S. Environmental & Water Resource Economics, University of Arizona

Research Project: Heat Risk and Human Behavior in Puerto Rico

Lauren Yeager: MSc in Applied Economics & Policy Analysis. Expected Graduation Date: May 2027.

Lauren is currently pursuing an M.S. in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis at the University of Arizona and holds a B.S. in Environmental and Water Resource Economics. She works as a Graduate Research Assistant on the Disaster Food Security Scale (DFSS) project, where she contributes to the development and validation of a disaster-specific food security measurement tool. Her research interests include food security, development economics, and public policy.

Degrees: B.S. Environmental & Water Resource Economics, University of Arizona

Research Project: Disaster Food Security Measurement

Tim Leavy: BS Agribusiness Economics and Management. Expected Graduation Date: May 2026.

Working on his undergraduate degree in Agribusiness Economics and Management, Tim is focused on applying economics to public, food, and labor policies. After completing his degree, he plans to seek an MS in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis at the University of Arizona and become more involved in Cooperative Extension. Along with his work in the AIDE Lab, Tim is a student worker in Corporate Relations and Advocacy, and with the Pima County Food Alliance.

Research Project: Mining Meaning Using Generative AI to Assess Economic Literature

Jocelyn Tijerina: BS Agribusiness Economics and Management. Expected Graduation Date: May 2026.

Jocelyn (Joss) is an undergraduate student in Agribusiness Economics and Management at the University of Arizona. Her studies are centered around agricultural policy, resource allocation, and the economic impacts of food systems, with an emphasis on finance and sustainability. After her B.S., she plans to pursue a Master’s in Applied Economics and Policy Analysis, focusing on supply chain and commodity management. In addition to her research, Joss is a student worker in the College of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences and at the Al-Marah Equine Research Center.

Research Project: The Gender of Control: Ownership, Management, and the Productivity Puzzle in African Agriculture

Nelson Semidey: BS Agribusiness Economics and Management. Expected Graduation Date: May 2027.

Nelson is an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona, pursuing a degree in Agribusiness Economics and Management. He is developing a strong foundation in economic theory and analytical tools to support effective management decision-making in the agricultural sector. Nelson is currently focused on his coursework and his work with the AIDE Lab, where he continues to build his skills and apply classroom knowledge in a research setting. In addition, he supports the Disability Resource Center (DRC) by providing class notes. After completing his degree, Nelson plans to remain in the field to continue learning and contributing to the industry.

Research Project: The Gender of Control: Ownership, Management, and the Productivity Puzzle in African Agriculture

Jacob Taylor: B.S. Environmental & Water Resource Economics, B.S. Computer Science. Expected Graduation Date: May 2026.

Jacob is interested in environmental resource management economics and the intersection between climate change and development economics. He intends to complete a MSc. in Applied Economics after completing his undergraduate degrees.

Research Project: Honors Thesis - Economic Valuation of National Outdoor Recreation Properties

Annabel Ivey: B.S. Environmental & Water Resource Economics. Expected Graduation Date: May 2027.

Growing up in Nederland, Colorado—a small mountain town perched on the Continental Divide—sparked Annabel Ivey’s interest in watershed management and the complex interactions among water resources, communities, and ecosystems. Moving to Arizona, where water scarcity is a daily reality, further solidified this passion and shaped her focus on water and natural resource management.
Experiencing firsthand how limited water availability affects agricultural communities and desert ecosystems inspired Annabel to pursue a degree in Environmental and Water Resource Economics, with a minor in Food Studies. Her studies center on sustainable resource management, agricultural and environmental policy, and applied research. Annabel is eager to contribute to projects that integrate economic, policy, and environmental perspectives to address real-world challenges in water management, sustainability, and food systems in the American West.

Research Project: Disaster Food Security Measurement

Graduates

• Rodrigo Guerra Su (graduation 2025): PhD Student at Texas A&M University

• Reece Branham (graduation 2025): Analyst at TANGO International

• Kieran Douglas (graduation 2025): MS at UC Davis

• Aurora Seekins (graduation 2025): MS at Boston University

• Samantha Wetherell (graduation 2024): MS student at Oxford University

• Chandrakant Agme (graduation 2024): Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Cornell University

• Lorin Rudin-Rush (graduation 2023): PhD Student at University of Wisconsin, Madison

• Dewan Abdullah Al Rafi (graduation 2023): PhD Student at University of Idaho

• Ann Furbush (graduation 2022): Analyst at Cambridge Econometrics

• Brian McGreal (graduation 2021), PhD Student at Washington State University, Quantitative Geography and Resource Management

• Emil Kee-Tui (graduation 2021): PhD Student at Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management

• Laura McCann (graduation 2021): PhD Student at University of Arizona School of Government and Public Policy

• Diana Githu (graduation 2020): PhD Student at University of Arizona, Arid Lands