Ph.D. Students
Our students come from many countries around the world and have interesting and diverse backgrounds. Below is the list of some current students by their incoming years.
2011
2010
2009
2008 and previous years
2011
Imran, Zafar
Zafar Imran is a first-year doctoral student at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy, specializing in International Security and Economic Policy, and a graduate fellow at CISSM, focusing on civil conflict issues. Zafar holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University.
Iyer, Gokul Chandramouli
Gokul Iyer is a first-year PhD student at the School of Public Policy, University of Maryland College Park. His research interests include energy and climate change, integrated assessment models, technology diffusion and cost-benefit analysis. Currently, he is working on diffusion of low-carbon technology using integrated assessment models and cost benefit analysis of passenger vehicles in India. Gokul has a Masters' degree in Energy Systems Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology - Nagpur, India.
Nikolova, Milena Veselinova
Milena Nikolova is a first-year Ph.D. student in international development and also a graduate assistant at the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at UMD. Her research interests include the role of NGOs in international development, fostering civil society, and the dynamics of foreign aid. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from American University, Washington, D.C. and a B.A. in Economics from Gettysburg College, P.A.
Tan, Xiayun
Xiayun Tan is a first-year doctoral student. Her specialization is International Development. Xiayun’s research interests include aid effectiveness, monitoring and evaluation, poverty and inequality, health, and education. She holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University (with Highest Distinction) and a Bachelor of Law in International Politics from Shanghai International Studies University in China.
Tolina, Eyob Tekalign
Eyob Tekalign Tolina is a PhD student at the UMD’s School of Public Policy specializing in international development. His research interests range from economic development, to international political economy and international trade, to the behavior of regimes and challenges of democratization. Eyob brings in more than a decade of diverse experience in research, policy advice, diplomacy, development finance, private sector development work and academics. Before coming to UMD, Eyob headed the Economy and Business Section of the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington D.C., in charge of Ethio-US economic issues; World Bank and IMF related issues and issues of trade, tourism and Investment. Eyob is a national of Ethiopia and a holder of MIPP from the George Washington University, with concentration in International Business and Economy. He obtained his BA degree in Economics (with honors) from Mekele University in Ethiopia in 2000.
2010
Aelion, Halley Mallama
Halley Aelion is a second-year doctoral student in the environmental policy program. Her research focus is on the internal pressures guiding private sector environmental stewardship decision-making. She holds an undergraduate degree from Davidson College and a masters degree from Georgetown University.
Goren, Nilsu
Nilsu Goren is a second-year doctoral student at the University of Maryland's School of Public Policy, specializing in International Security and Economic Policy and a graduate fellow at CISSM, focusing on nonproliferation issues. Prior to coming to Maryland, she was an instructor at Koc University, Istanbul, Turkey, and a research assistant at Monterey Institute's James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) Washington, D.C., office, where she worked on export control and illicit nuclear trafficking issues. She holds an M.A. in Political Science and B.A. in Economics from Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Herbert, Rene Natasha
René N. Herbert is a third year PhD student in the social policy concentration and currently works as a program analyst at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Financial Resources. At HHS her portfolio includes public health and social services programs such as health centers, HIV/AIDS program, and the organ transplantation program. René's undergraduate degree is in Public Health from the University of Rochester, and she holds her Masters in Health Policy and Administration from the Yale University School of Public Health. Her research interest includes the dynamics of health care reform policy on the nations safety net programs and populations. René is originally from San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago, via New York City, but has been living in DMV area for the past five years. Her long term aspirations include health policy research and teaching.
Livani, Talajeh
Talajeh Livani is a second- year PhD student in the International Development concentration. She holds a M.A. in International Affairs, with a concentration in international development and international law, from the George Washington University and a B.A. in Political Science, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Central Florida. Her research interests include governance, democratization, and gender and development. She is a Swedish national of Iranian descent, and before joining the Public Policy School, she worked at various organizations including the World Bank, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, United Nations Association, and Amnesty International.
Regan, Matthew Richard
Matthew Regan is a second year PhD student specializing in international development. Matthew holds an BA in History and an MA in Modern European history, both from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he focused on the evolution of European social thought, the history of science, and European encounters with and interpretations of non-European cultures. His current research interests focus on the linkages between development, democracy, ethics, and culture, with special attention on the feasibility of creating adequate means of broadly evaluating development while respecting human cultural diversity.
Trisi, Danilo Leandro
Danilo Trisi is a second-year doctoral student and currently a Research Analyst in the Family Income Support Division of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, where has worked over the last five years. His research focuses on TANF policies, labor market analysis, trends in deep poverty, and the effectiveness of the safety net. Trisi holds a B.A. degree from Pomona College and a Masters in Latin American Studies degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Vasquez Duran, Marie Claire
Marie Claire Vasquez is a second-year doctoral student (IDEV). Her research interests include governance issues (especially corruption), as well as democratic practices, both with a regional focus in Latin America. Her dissertation works addresses how the implementation of local-level participatory and deliberative practices across municipalities in the Dominican Republic, can affect social, economic and human development outcomes, individually and collectively. Marie Claire holds a Masters in International Policy Studies (focus on Political Economy) from Stanford University, and a Graduate Diploma in Corporate Finance and a Licenciatura in Economics, both from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (Santo Domingo, DR).
Cui, Yiyun
Ryna Yiyun Cui is a second-year doctoral student specialized in Environmental policy. Her research interests range from international climate policy, carbon markets in developing countries (the Clean Development Mechanism in particular), to renewable energy development. She holds a Master degree in Public Policy from the College of William and Mary, a B.A.in Project Management from Renmin University of China.
Yuan, Wen Jin
Wen Jin Yuan is a second-year doctoral student and also a researcher at the Freeman Chair in China Studies, Center for Strategic and International Studies. Her research interests range from the U.S.-China trade relationship, China's exchange rate regime and capital market, as well as economic integration in East Asia. She holds a Masters in public policy(M.P.P.) from the University of Maryland, college park and a B.A. in economics from Fudan University.
2009
Greenwalt, William Charles
Bill Greenwalt is a third-year doctoral student. He is currently with the Aerospace Industries Association and has held various positions on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon and with industry. His research interests focus on defense management and leadership issues. He holds a Masters from the University of Southern California and a B.A. From California State University Long Beach.
Iltebir, Elnigar
Elnigar Iltebir is a third-year Ph.D. student specializing in International Economic Policy. She is an Uyghur-American from Virginia. Elnigar received her Masters in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School and her B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University. Elnigar has worked as a research assistant in various non-profit organizations such as the Uyghur American Association and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Loukianova, Anna
Anya Loukianova is a PhD candidate in international security and economic policy. Her research deals with nuclear and nonproliferation policies and confidence- and security- building measures with a focus on U.S.-Russian and NATO-Russian security relations. She holds an MPIA in security studies from the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a BA in political science from Thiel College.
Lu, Jiahuan
Jiahuan Lu is a student of public administration and policy. His research interests include public administration, government contracting, and organization theory. He is currently working on his dissertation on performance-based contracting.
2008 and previous years
Zhu, Junming
Junming Zhu is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, with a concentration in Environmental Policy. His research focuses on the complex dynamics in different industrial systems that affect material and energy flows, including regional industrial zones, industrial networks, and industrial sectors. His dissertation evaluates the impact of China’s energy conservation policies on firm, industry, and national levels. He holds an M.S. and a B.S in Environmental Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University.
Arendt, Michael James
Michael J. Arendt Jr. is finishing his Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, School of Public Policy. His research concentration is Management, Finance and Leadership (MFL). His dissertation research seeks to identify strategies for the application and implementation of performance evaluation tools to benchmark Department of Defense (DoD) supply-chain transformation efforts. Mr. Arendt also currently serves as a Senior Consultant for IBM’s Strategy and Innovation practice. In this role, Mr. Arendt provides consulting support to the United States Navy (USN) and Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). Mr. Arendt’s Navy consulting role includes technical and business research and analysis for implementation of Naval Open Systems Architecture principles in the acquisition of national security systems. These efforts have recently been expanded to support the “Better Buying Power” initiative developed by DoD’s Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD AT&L). Prior to joining IBM, Mr. Arendt served as a Faculty Research Assistant at the University of Maryland’s Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise (CPPPE). At CPPPE, he contributed to numerous reports and studies on defense acquisition, logistics, and transformation.
Hayden, Nancy
Nancy K. Hayden is mid-career, fifth-year doctoral student in the International Security and Economic Policy program. Having completed all of her course work, Ms. Hayden participates in the program from New Mexico, where she is a Principle member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, specializing in analysis of complex, adaptive systems and countering threats that they pose. Her research interests are how 21st century concepts of international security, which include human well-being and good governance, can be operationalized to inform our understanding of societies in transition from oppressive regimes and the implications for US policy makers. Her thesis will focus on the complex dynamics leading up to the Arab Spring, and the how the structure, role, and goals of intersecting movement networks have shaped the outcomes. She holds a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley, and a BS in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin.
Leventhal, George L.
George Leventhal is serving his third term as an at-large Democratic member of the Montgomery County Council. Prior to his election to the County Council, he served as Chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, as Senior Federal Relations Officer at the Association of American Universities and as Legislative Director to U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD). He received his bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley and his master's degree in public administration from Johns Hopkins University.
Littlefield, Jennifer Nash
Jennifer Littlefield is currently a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland focusing on collaborative networks and nonprofits. In the Fall of 2012 she assumes the role of Associate Director of the College Park Scholars Public Leadership Program and Associate Director of the Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (make this a live link to: http://publicpolicy.umd.edu/philanthropy). Prior to coming to Maryland, she served as the Assistant Director of the Institute for Leadership Advancement in the University of Georgia 's Terry College of Business. In this role Jennifer assisted with all areas of the Institute including working with their two undergraduate leadership programs, planning and coordinating a study abroad program to Tanzania Africa, and working with various corporate and community partners of the ILA. Jennifer holds both a Bachelor and Master of Business Administration from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.
Milner, Justin Hayward
Justin Milner is a part-time doctoral student and a Senior Associate on the Evidence-Based Practice Team at the Annie E. Casey Foundation in Baltimore, MD. Justin is interested in a range of topics in social policy including performance measurement and management, evidence-based practice and policy in child-serving public systems, and innovative finance strategies to fund effective programs. Justin received a BA in Political Science from Yale University and an MPA from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University
Lombana, Monica Patricia
Monica Lombana is a sixth-year part time doctoral student and also a stay-at-home mother of two little girls. Her research interests, in the international development area, range from public finance issues to higher-education and human capital formation policies. She holds a B.A. in Finance and International Relations from the Universidad Externado de Colombia, a M.A in Political Science from the Pennsylvania State University, and a M.A. in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University. Before coming to MSPP, she worked at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, in tax policy issues.
Chattopadhyay, Soumya
Soumya Chattopadhyay’s research interests are at the confluence of economic policies and their impact on individuals’ subjective well-being. He is a faculty for “PUAF 781: International Economic Policy” at the school and a Research Associate in the Foreign Policy/Global Economy and Development Programs at the Brookings Institution. Previously, he worked at the World Bank and at Unilever Plc. He holds a Masters in Public Management and an MA Economics (University of Maryland), a BA Economics (University of Cambridge), and a BA Economics (University of Delhi). Details of his research are at http://terpconnect.umd.edu/~soumya/Research.html
McClarin, Elizabeth A. (POSI)
Elizabeth McClarin has research interests in public financial management and social policy. She is currently working on her prospectus. Prior to joining the program, she was an Assistant Director at the Government Accountability Office, working on federal budget and performance issues. She also provided training on financial management issues with OECD, IMF, and the World Bank. She completed the joint MPM/MBA program and passed the CPA while working at GAO. She holds B.S. degrees in Government and Politics and Accounting from the University of Maryland.
Charles Harry
Charles Harry is a 5th year PhD candidate working on his dissertation. His research focuses on drivers of intrastate civil conflict with a specific focus on rapid changes to measures of income and well-being. Mr Harry's research interests also include nuclear proliferation and cyber security issues. He holds Masters and Bachelors degrees in Economics from the University of Colorado and has spent the past 16 years working in the field of international security to include tours abroad as well as locally at the Department of Treasury."
Student Profiles in MSPP:
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Amy Martin |
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Yong-Woog Choi |
