Team
Faculty
Dr. Erin Litzow
Applied economist
Environmental, development, and energy economics. Research across 11 countries in Africa and Latin America. Affiliated with Duke Energy Access Project and Environment for Development.
Dr. Elías Cisneros
Environmental economist
Political economy of land-use change and deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia. Remote sensing and causal analysis methods.
Student Researchers
Sonali Singh
PhD candidate, Public Policy & Political Economy
Climate variability, human capital, and political economy. Research on extreme heat and educational outcomes, weather shocks in India, and patent reforms in emerging markets.
Md Khalid Bin Kamal
Graduate student
Research on the political economy of large-scale change, focusing on how policy shifts and natural shocks affect different groups in society.
Mamie Cincotta
Graduate student, Public Policy & Political Economy
Deena Essa
Graduate student, Public Policy & Political Economy
Yiqun Yu
Graduate student, Economics
Alexandra Russell
Undergraduate student, Data Science
Cost and carbon analysis of municipal fleet electrification.
Deepak Reddy Vaidyula
Undergraduate student, Biology (pre-med)
Interested in how toxic chemicals and other harmful substances affect human health.
Former Team Members
Aria Abhyankar
Former undergraduate student, International Political Economy
Senior thesis on the U.S. prison system and environmental quality. UTD Sustainability Honors recipient (2025). Chaired the SEPPS Dean’s Council; graduated summa cum laude in May 2026.
Kayleigh Tompkins
Former graduate student, Public Policy & Political Economy
Joey Rogers
Former undergraduate student
Nyma Anisa Ehtesham
Former undergraduate student