Team directory
Team directory
Bilal Moin, Dahl Scholar 2021 - 2022
Bilal Moin is from Mumbai, India and reads Economics, Mathematics and Global Affairs in the Yale Class of 2024. He is interested in complex systems in the social sciences, especially in the context of social, and economic development.
As a Dahl Scholar, he will be working with Sterling Professor Ian Shapiro to analyze the political logic of pro-poor policy interventions. His project focuses on modelling the interactions between electoral strategies and development policy in Indian democracy to decipher its ‘paradox of poverty.’
Rourke O'Brien, Assistant Professor of Sociology
Rourke O’Brien is an Assistant Professor of Sociology. His research focuses on the causes and consequences of social and economic inequalities with substantive interests in household and public finance, economic mobility and population health.
Sandra Okonofua,
Sandra Okonofua is a PhD student in Sociology at Yale University. Her research interests sit at the intersection of social stratification, social policy, race, class, gender and education. Specifically, she is interested in exploring the connections between local government laws, policies and educational inequality across race and class. Before coming to Yale, Sandra worked as a school counseling intern in Massachusetts, a high school science teacher in Philadelphia and as a ghostwriter for industry leaders. Sandra is a proud daughter of Nigerian immigrants and a DMV native.
Gabby Ortega, ISPS Director's Fellow, 2021
Gabby Ortega is a junior in Jonathan Edwards from Houston, Texas. She is studying political science and is interested in criminal justice, including policing practices, mass incarceration, and their effects on individuals and communities at large. On campus, she is involved in the Academic Strategies Program, Yale Legal Aid Association, and the Yale cheerleading team.
Rohini Pande, Henry J. Heinz II Professor of Economics
Rohini Pande is the Henry J. Heinz II Professor of Economics and Director of the Economic Growth Center, Yale University.
Belisa Pang,
Belisa Pang is a Ph.D. student at Yale School of Management and a J.D. student at Yale Law School. Her research primarily focuses on empirical studies of consumer and corporate bankruptcy. As an ISPS fellow, Belisa will use statistical methods to analyze the effect of childcare on success in bankruptcy.
Limor Peer, Associate Director for Research
Office Location: 238 Prospect Street
Phone: 203-432-0054
Email: limor.peer@yale.edu
Danielle Petrafesa, Senior Administrative Assistant
Address: 238 Prospect Street
Phone: 203-432-9736
Email: danielle.petrafesa@yale.edu;
Benjamin Polak, William C Brainard Professor of Economics; Professor of Management
Professor Polak is an expert on decision theory, game theory, and economic history. His work explores economic agents whose goals are richer than those captured in traditional models. His work on game theory ranges from foundational theoretical work on common knowledge, to applied topics in corporate finance and law and economics. Most recently, he has made contributions to the theory of repeated games with asymmetric information. Other research interests include economic inequality and individuals’ responses to uncertainty.
Gwen Prowse, Graduate Student, Political Science & African American Studies
Gwen Prowse is a joint doctoral student in political science and African American studies. She currently serves as the co-director for the ISPS Policy Fellows program. Gwen’s research focuses on historical and contemporary issues of urban inequality in general, and for Black Americans in particular. She uses a mixed methods approach to investigate how these inequalities shape political behavior. Prior to coming to Yale, Gwen worked in education and community development, both as a high school teacher and instructional coach in southeastern Arkansas and Delaware.