For Dr. Ashish Sedai, an applied microeconomist and development economist, CSU’s Ph.D. program in economics provided peace and purpose to do meaningful research. Throughout his childhood in rural India, Dr. Sedai observed the gendered burden of water collection and distribution, as well as the impacts of unreliable access to electricity in the home. His scholarship has subsequently focused on the disproportionate household burdens imposed on women in Asia’s developing economies.
Surrounded by intellectually curious minds and supported by faculty collaborators, Dr. Sedai has already published widely in journals including World Development and the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, and Energy Economics. His honors include the prestigious Warren Samuel’s Prize, awarded for his job market paper on “Gendered Impact of Piped Water in India” (2022); CSU’s Outstanding Graduate Researcher (2021) and Graduate Dissertation Fellowship (2020); and the Best Paper Award from the Association for Institutional Thought (2019).
As an instructor, Dr. Sedai has taught principles courses in both macro- and microeconomics, as well as a wide range of electives: Gender in the Economy, Economics of International Finance, Economic Development, Money and Banking, Econometrics, and Environmental Economics.
In graduating from CSU, Dr. Sedai has accepted a tenure-track position at the University of Texas-Arlington.
Quick Facts
Education
Ph.D. Economics, Colorado State University (2022)
MPhil & A.B.D. Economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University (2017)
M.A. Economics, Jamia Millia Islamia (2012)
B.A. Economics, University of Delhi (2010)
Dissertation: Three Essays on Labor, Gender and Development
Advisors: Professors Ramaa Vasudevan and Anita Pena
Fields: Development economics, applied microeconomics
In His Own Words
What inspired you to pursue a Ph.D. in Economics?
My interest to do a Ph.D. in Economics came from an inspiration to do meaningful work that touches people on the margins and in despair.
What has been the best part of your experience as a graduate student in ECON?
My best experience with CSU is the place Fort Collins itself. It has provided me the peace and purpose to do research. I have had the fortune of working with curious minds like Ramaa Vasudevan, who has provided me with wise counsel that will forever impact my future decisions; Anita Pena, whose willingness to help you succeed makes her the idol she is; Ray Miller, who I love for his honesty and humility in his work; Niroj Bhattarai, who has been my fallback on so many things; and so many more in the department – Daniele Tavani, Alison Koss, Rosanna Houlton – who are just the best, most helpful people. I have found a family at CSU.
Get In Touch
Twitter: @AshishKumarSed1
Email: AshishSedai7@gmail.com