Education

Ph.D., Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, May 2017

M.A, Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, May 2011

B.A., Mathematics and Economics (HONORS), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, May 2009

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Research and Teaching Interests

Macroeconomics, International Economics, Growth and Development and Econometrics

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Publications

• "Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Natural Resources and Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa" (with Elizabeth Asiedu and Komla Dzigbede) in Africa at a Fork in the Road: Taking Off or Disappointment Once Again? Ed. Ernesto Zedillo and Olivier Cattaneo, 2015, 395 - 414

• "Access to Credit by Firms in Sub-Saharan Africa: How Relevant is Gender?" (with Elizabeth Asiedu, Isaac Kalonda-Kanyama and Leonce Ndikumana), American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, 2013, 103 (3), 293-297

• "Access to Credit by Small Business: How Relevant is Race, Gender and Ethnicity?" (with Elizabeth Asiedu and James Freeman), American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings, 2012, 102 (3), 532 - 537

• "The Paradox of Capital Flight from a Capital - Starved Continent" (with Elizabeth Asiedu and John Nana Fracois), Concerned Africa's Scholars Bulletin, 2012, 87, 22 - 28 

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Professional Experience

• Senior Research Economist, Kansas Department of Commerce, Topeka, KS. Head the economic and research division of the department. June 2016 - Present

• Graduate Research Intern, American Institute of Economic Research (AIER), Great Barrington, MA. Research Project: "The Adverse Effects of Early Onset of Quantitative Easing on the U.S. Economy," June 2013

• Graduate Research Assistant, Institute for Policy and Social Research (IPSR), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS. Research Project: "Access to Finance by Minority Businesses," January 2011 - May 2011

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Consulting Work​

• Consultant, United Nations University - World Institute for Development and Economic Research (UNU-WIDER), Research Project: "Determinants of Foreign Aid in Family Planning: How Relevant is the Mexico City Policy?" January 2013 - August 2015

• Consultant, African Development Bank Group (AfDB), Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire. Peer reviewed the African Development Outlook published by the African Development Bank on African Economies. November 2010 - February 2013

• Consultant, International Growth Center (IGC) of the London School of Economics (LSE), London, United Kingdom. Research Project: "Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Natural Resources, and Institutions," June 2012 - November 2012

• Consultant, Center for Research in Entrepreneural Activity (CREA) - Kauffman Foundation Research Grant, Kansas City, MO. Research Project: "Access to Credit by Small Businesses," June 2011 - July 2012

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Selected Conference Participations

• American Economic Association (AEA) Annual Meetings - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 2018; San Diego, California. January 2013; Chicago, Illinois. January 2012

• Western Economic Association International (WEAI) Annual Conference;  91st Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon. June 2016; 86th Annual Conference, San Diego, California. June 2011

• Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA) conference, 54th Annual Conference, Kansas City, Missouri, Presenter, October 2017

• Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA) conference, 53rd Annual Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, Presenter, October 2016

• Western Economic Association International (WEAI), 91st Annual Conference, Portland, Oregon, Presenter, June 2016

• Western Economic Association International (WEAI), 12th International Conference, Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, Presenter, January 2016

• Center for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) conference on Economic Development in Africa, St. Catherine's College, Oxford, United Kingdom, Observer, March 2015

• Missouri Valley Economic Association (MVEA) conference, St. Louis, Missouri, Presenter, October 2014

• Association for the Advancement of African Women Economist (AAAWE) mentoring and technical workshop, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Legon, Ghana, Presenter, July 2013

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Awards and Honors

• Graduate Teaching Assistantship, Department of Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, August 2011 - May 2016

• Summer Research Fellowship for Elizabeth Asiedu, Department of Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2014 and 2015 ($2000 each)

• Head Graduate Teaching Assistant for Dr. Cary Morris, Department of Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, Spring 2014

• Summer Research Fellowship for Mohamed El-Hodiri, Department of Economics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2013 ($2000 awarded)

• Research Assistantship Grant, International Growth Center (IGC) of the London School of Economics (LSE), Fall 2012 (£2700 awarded)

• Undergraduate Student Research Competition Presentation Award, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, April 2009

• Black Faculty and Staff Council Scholar, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, Fall 2006 - Spring 2009

• Undergraduate Research Grant, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, Spring 2007 - Fall 2008 ($2500 awarded each semester)

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