Job Market Candidates
Ari Anisfeld
COE Fellow
Background:
Ari is a Ph.D. candidate at the Harris School of Public Policy, a Research and Policy Fellow with the U.S. Department of Education, and a member of the Inequality Working Group at the Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility. Before pursuing graduate studies, Ari taught middle school math in Thoreau, New Mexico, gaining firsthand experience in education and a unique perspective on the challenges faced by underserved communities. He holds a master’s degree in Computer Science and Public Policy (MSCAPP) from the University of Chicago, as well as a master’s in education from the University of New Mexico and a B.A. in History from Grinnell College.
Research:
Ari is an applied microeconomist focused on understanding how young people perceive their place in the world, identify opportunities, and make critical life decisions. He uses experiments and quasi-experiments, paired with econometrics and machine learning methods to explore these issues. In his dissertation research, Ari investigates how ethnicity and identity affect individuals’ skills, preferences, and beliefs in field-based experiments in Macedonian schools. Through his role with the U.S. Department of Education, he examines the factors contributing to the challenges students face in completing college, exploring the interplay between public policy, institutional barriers, and student behavior. Ari is also interested in the neighborhood effects that shape individuals’ lives, and how these dynamics influence long-term outcomes.
Emileigh Harrison
COE Fellow
Background:
Emileigh Harrison is a PhD student at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Emileigh seeks to understand how to increase access to education, in particular for women, first-generation college students, and other historically disadvantaged groups. Her work focuses on examining ways to reduce inequality and eliminate barriers to education. Currently, she is studying the effect of statewide transfer policies on the academic outcomes of community college students, as well as changes in gender and racial representation in children’s books and education materials over time. Emileigh is also a Center for Data and Computing (CDAC) Doctoral Fellow.
Rohen Shah
COE Fellow
Background:
Rohen is a Ph.D. candidate at the Harris School of Public Policy. Prior to graduate school, he taught high school math in Detroit, Michigan, and managed a state-wide tutoring company in Michigan. He is also a co-founder of the educational technology company DiagKNOWstics Learning. He received his bachelor’s degree in math and economics and master’s degree in math education from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.
Research:
Rohen is interested in applying tools from behavioral economics to improve outcomes in education. He has worked with Ariel Kalil and Susan Mayer on field experiments in early childhood education to increase parent engagement using behavioral tools, and with John List on a field experiment with university students on team performance. His Job Market Paper evaluates the impact of math video creation on students’ math skills.