Thank you for visiting!  I am an education economist and serve as Professor in the Department of Educational Foundations, Organizations, and Policy at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education.  I also have a joint appointment in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, and a secondary appointment in the Department of Economics.  Since August 2019, I have served as the Executive Director of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES).

As a researcher, I use large data sets, advanced quantitative methods, and traditional and behavioral economics to understand education and political economy issues in low- and middle-income countries. My recent research papers include:  (1) The social and non-monetary benefits of education (including the effects of education on civic, moral, political, and socio-emotional outcomes); (2) The effect of home computers and Internet access on skills and wellbeing; (3) Education, poverty, and social mobility in low- and middle-income countries; (4) Human capital decisions during childhood (schooling, labor and play), adolescence and adulthood (education and labor); and (5) Education reform (including educational vouchers and privatization, early childhood education, and higher education).

For free access to my researcher papers, please click the Research tab at the top of this page.  I welcome inquiries from prospective students interested in these or other topics.

I teach graduate courses on the economics of education, comparative education, and quantitative methods.  Previously, I earned my PhD in Economics and Education at Columbia University and served on the faculty of Indiana University at Bloomington. I am married to Nazia Farzin Shafiq, with whom I have three daughters, Airah, Manal, and Nazeeba.

Last updated: April 2021