About Siwa

I'm an agricultural and natural resource economist who has worked in the field of international development policy for the last 20 years. I'm excited by challenging analytical problems and have enjoyed working with research partners from around the world on interesting and important policy-relevant issues that relate to environmental sustainability, socio-economic development and human welfare.   

EXPERTISE

Agricultural Economics

I'm a trained agricultural economics who has spent my career working on applied problems of agricultural production and trade. I have experience applying robust analytical methods to solving policy and management problems within the context of the western US, northern China, India, Brazil and sub-Saharan Africa. 

Natural Resource Economics

A great deal of my work has been focused on resource management problems -- as it applies to agricultural and other sectors of the economy. Water Resource management (of surface and ground  water) has been a big focus of my resources, as well as problems relating to the fisheries management and the sustainability of livestock grazing commons

Trade and Macroeconomics

Aside from working on problems of behavior at the household or agent level, I have also done a great deal of work looking at trade and agricultural market dynamics. I have done considerable work on multi-market models of agriculture, and linking them with issues of energy (eg. biofuels), environment and climate, and food security.  

EXPERIENCE

2009-2018

Senior Research Fellow

International Food Policy Research Institute 

This position entailed leadership, management and coordination of various research projects, as well as fundraising, supervision and mentorship of staff and external representation of the institute. I also wrote research papers, and made presentations of my work. 

International Food Policy Research Institute 

This position entailed leadership, management and coordination of various research projects, as well as fundraising, supervision and mentorship of staff and external representation of the institute. I also wrote research papers, and made presentations of my work. 

2007-2009

Research Fellow

2004-2006

Post-doctoral Fellow

International Food Policy Research Institute 

As a post-doctoral research fellow, I was primarily focused on working to improve and expand the global, partial-equilibrium agricultural multi-market model, IMPACT. I supervised and worked with other research staff working on the model code and underlying data. I also engaged in the writing of research papers, and maing presentations of our work to both internal and external audiences. 

EDUCATION

2019-present

Economist

Joint Global Change Research Institute 

I work within the Human-Earth Systems Science Analysis team. I focus on implementing economic modeling and analysis at multiple-scales - ranging from global (using the GCAM integrated assessment model) to national & regional analyses

2018-2019

Consultant

I undertook various analytical activities ranging from analysis of rural electricity access, management of groundwater resources and the modeling of livestock production in extensive rangeland systems of African drylands. I also undertook an extensive literature review of groundwater and small-scale fisheries management as a short-term consultant for the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank.

2009-2018

Senior Research Fellow

2007-2009

Research Fellow

2004-2006

Post-doctoral Fellow

International Food Policy Research Institute 

This position entailed leadership, management and coordination of various research projects, as well as fundraising, supervision and mentorship of staff and external representation of the institute. I also wrote research papers, and made presentations of my work. 

International Food Policy Research Institute 

This position entailed project management and leadership, among other key duties such as publishing, outreach, fundraising, staff supervision and concentrated analytical work on various models, including the IMPACT model, and other analytical tools. 

International Food Policy Research Institute 

As a post-doctoral research fellow, I was primarily focused on working to improve and expand the global, partial-equilibrium agricultural multi-market model, IMPACT. I supervised and worked with other research staff working on the model code and underlying data. I also engaged in the writing of research papers, and maing presentations of our work to both internal and external audiences. 

1998-2004

Doctoral Degree

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS

During this period, I earned a PhD degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Davis. The topic of my dissertation was on groundwater management -- taking empirical examples from the State of California and from Northern China. 

1995-1997

Master's Degree

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

During this period, I earned a Master's degree in International Development Policy, from the Food Research Institute (FRI). FRI no longer exists (closed 1998), but was a premier center of research  excellence in agricultural development policy.

1991-1995

Bachelor's Degree

STANFORD UNIVERSITY

During this period, I earned a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Stanford's School of Engineering. At that period, no specific concentrations in the major were offered (e.g polymer, petroleum, bio-medical engineering, etc). 

CLIENTS

Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank

SKILLS