Qualification: PhD Student, Harris School of Public Policy at University of Chicago
Roles covered: Academic Research
Areas of expertise: Economics, Access to Public Goods
In this podcast, Devika goes through her experience as a Research Associate at J-PAL and Stanford University (where she worked as a predoctoral research fellow with Arun Chandrasekhar and Melanie Morten). She covers the opportunities that are available to students post a PhD in Economics -- not just within academia, but also in government, corporates, and international organizations. With insights regarding the nature of roles performed in different organizations, the scope of growth within academia, and things to know before committing to a PhD, Devika's podcast would be extremely helpful for those looking to pursue a career in academic research.
Sections:
00:00 Introduction
00:51 Venturing into the space of economic research
07:20 A day in the life of a researcher and related skills required
17:17 Growing within academia
22:09 Differences in the role and pay of a researcher based on the type of organization that they work with
28:45 Skills and qualifications required to become a researcher within the social sciences
38:30 Realizations from past experience within academia and advice for aspiring researchers
About Devika Lakhote:
Devika is currently pursuing her PhD from the Harris School of Public Policy at University of Chicago. Her research focuses on discrimination in access to public goods faced by disadvantaged groups in urban India. Prior to this, Devika completed her BA in economics at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai and worked as a Research Associate at J-PAL. She was also a predoctoral research fellow at Stanford University's Institute for Economic Policy Research.
