RA Program — Applied Economics Clinic

Research/Communications Assistant Internship Program

Research Assistants (RAs) are current graduate students or exceptional undergraduate students studying economics, energy, or an environmental-related field. RAs assist our team by summarizing written materials, collecting data, managing research databases, writing policy memos, and assisting with other research and analysis tasks as needed. The Communication Assistant (CA) is a graduate student studying media, communications, public relations, or a related media field. CAs assist with updating the AEC website and social media accounts, managing project databases, posting blog pieces, writing blog pieces, and drafting our monthly newsletter.

Current Research Assistants

Rita Boateng

University of Massachusetts Amherst, Economics PhD Student

Rita Boateng is a PhD student in the Department of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests focus on labor economics, applied econometrics, and stratification economics. Her current research investigates wealth inequality and the history of the racial wealth gap. Moreover, Rita’s research aims to investigate how the lack of resources, exclusion, environmental status, and accessibility impact choices and outcomes across geographical and social boundaries.

Through internships and projects, Rita has experience as an Actuarial Analyst. She has worked on projects covering net-zero emissions targets with Solytics Partners and micro-plant identification data analysis with the Field Museum of Chicago. Her combined experience as a researcher and analyst offers deep technical and analytical skills to address crucial issues such as climate change and environmental injustice, which impact all groups regardless of social placement. Rita holds a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science with minors in Computer Science and Finance from Roosevelt University.

Linda Appeynarh

University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Public Policy PhD Student

Linda is a PhD student in Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with specialization in Economics. Her research interests have been in the areas of inequality, labor markets, and human capital development and education, with a particular focus on how policy can advance equitable outcomes in both domestic and international contexts. Her current research explores the implications of telecommunications liberalization on labor market outcomes and inequality in Ghana, as well as the dynamics of skilled labor migration between developed and developing economies.

Linda has a strong foundation in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with hands-on experience in data analysis, literature synthesis, and policy evaluation. She is interested in exploring how energy policy can be used as a tool for promoting equity and sustainability through applied economics. Her long-term goal is to produce policy-relevant and applied research that bridges academic inquiry and real-world impact, particularly in underserved communities.

Linda holds an MPhil and BA in Economics from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and an MPA from the University of Baltimore.

Jheelum Sarkar

American University, Economics PhD Student

Jheelum Sarkar is a PhD student in Economics at American University, Washington, DC. Her research focuses on applied microeconomics, with primary interests in environmental, labor, and development economics. She employs data-driven methods and geographic information systems (GIS) to evaluate policy impacts, with a strong emphasis on equity.

Her recent work examines how environmental disasters affect labor markets in low-income settings. She has also studied how wealth accumulation influences gender differences in occupational choices of second generation in the United States. In 2024, she received the 4th Barbara Bergmann Graduate Fellowship for Gender Research. Jheelum has extensive experience in interdisciplinary collaborations on climate-related issues and renewable energy from a social science perspective.

She previously earned an MPhil and MA from the Centre for International Trade and Development at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Her MPhil dissertation assessed the causal impacts of extreme climate events on household welfare in India's mountain and coastal regions. She also holds a BSc in Economics from Lady Brabourne College, University of Calcutta.