Welcome!

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at George Mason University and currently on the academic job market for 2024-25. My research focuses on historical political economy and the economic history of colonial India, with an emphasis on health policy during British rule. I examine how culture, religion, and trust influenced vaccine hesitancy, particularly in the context of smallpox vaccination campaigns.

By analyzing the political economy of health in colonial India, I aim to understand how historical and cultural factors continue to shape contemporary public health policies and economic outcomes. My work employs applied econometrics, historical data analysis, and machine learning techniques such as textual analysis.

James Gillray's 1802 cartoon satirizes smallpox vaccination, showing people with cow-like features. Caption: "The COW-POCK – or – the Wonderful Effects of the New Inoculation!" | Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images