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Ini U

- Research Program Mentor

PhD candidate at University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

Expertise

Microeconomics topics (like education, labor markets, etc), data analysis for social science research, public policy analysis

Bio

Hello! I am currently a PhD Candidate in the economics program at the University of California, Berkeley. My research focuses on the economics of education and labor market topics (also happy to work on projects outside of those topics!) An example of my research is using statistical models to measure teacher and school quality. I have also taken an interest in using machine learning techniques in my research. I have several years of experience with data analysis for social science research, and being an economics tutor, and mentor. One of my main hobbies is learning Japanese, and I'm planning on visiting Japan after I graduate from my PhD program. I also enjoy hiking, painting, and discovering new bands to listen to.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

What is the value of alternatives to traditional college education?

Traditional 4-year college degrees have become increasingly expensive over recent years. This raises questions about the role that cheaper alternatives to traditional education (like coding bootcamps, apprenticeship programs) can play in the education ecosystem. Some questions we could answer together include: How do the labor market outcomes (like employment rate and salary) of those who completed non-traditional education programs compare to those who attended traditional college? Do the benefits of non-traditional programs differ by the type of program and/or student characteristics? Through this project a student can learn how to write an essay based on existing research, and how to find and analyze data to create original research on the topic.

Coding skills

R, Stata

Teaching experience

I was an undergraduate teaching assistant for econometrics. I guided students in understanding quantitative analysis methods and using the statistical software Stata for carrying them out. As a graduate student I have been a tutor for labor economics and macroeconomics. I have also been a mentor for several mentoring programs, focusing on giving students advice on potential career paths and feedback on college application materials.

Credentials

Work experience

Case Western Reserve University (2016 - 2017)
Econometrics Teaching Assistant
University of California, Berkeley (2019 - 2020)
Economics Tutor
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (2017 - 2019)
Research Assistant
University of California, Berkeley (2020 - Current)
Research Fellow

Education

Case Western Reserve University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2017)
Economics and statistics
University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Economics

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