Curriculum Vitae January 2016
VIS TARAZ
Contact:
Department of Economics
Pierce Hall, 204
Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063
(413)-585-3588
vtaraz@smith.edu
Degrees:
Ph.D., Economics, Yale University, May 2013
M.Phil., Economics, Yale University, 2009
M.A., Economics, Yale University, 2009
B.S., Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002
Employment History:
Assistant Professor of Economics, Smith College, July 2013 - present
Working Papers:
“Adaptation to Climate Change: Historical Evidence from the Indian Monsoon”
(revise and resubmit)
“Can Farmers Adapt to Extreme Heat? Evidence from India”
Work in Progress:
“Can Workfare Programs Support Adaptation to Climate Change? Evidence from Indian
Agriculture” (with Anil Bhargava and Teevrat Garg)
“Adaptation to Climate Extremes in Developing Countries: An Analysis of In Utero
Weather Impacts on Early-Life Health Outcomes” (with Ben Fitch-Fleischmann)
“The Race to the Bottom: Exploring the Gisser-Sanchez Paradox with Endogenous Well
Technology” (with Susan Stratton Sayre)
Fellowships, Honors and Awards:
Smith College Picker Fellowship (Fall 2015)
Yale University Dissertation Fellowship (Fall 2010)
Vardis and Opal Fisher Fellowship (2009-2010)
Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leader's Fellowship, Yale University (2008-2009)
Summer Fellowship, Yale University (2005 – 2009)
University Fellowship, Yale University (2005 – 2009)
Economic Growth Center Prize, Yale University (2005 – 2009)
Grants Received:
2014: Smith College Student Faculty Summer Research Grant “Group Decisions and
The Economics of Climate Change” [Joint with Simon Halliday and Susan
Stratton Sayre]
Presentations:
2016: Virginia Tech Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics (scheduled)
2015: Liberal Arts Colleges Development Economics Conference (Lafayette College);
Five College Junior Faculty Economics Seminar
2014: Siena College
2013: Williams College; Smith College; Swarthmore College; Rice University; Clark
University; Southern Economic Association Annual Meetings
2012: Northeast Universities Consortium Development Conference (Dartmouth College); Michigan State University (Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics) Professional Activities:
Reviewer for Journal of Development Economics
Smith College liaison for the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics
Profession (CSWEP)
Alliance to Advance Liberal Arts Colleges Workshop on Enhancing Inclusivity in
Economics at Liberal Arts Colleges, participant (February 2016)
Professional Memberships:
American Economics Association, American Agricultural Economics Association,
American Association of University Professors, American Association of University
Women
College Committees and Other Service:
Study Group on Climate Change Committee (2015-2016)
Five College Junior Faculty Economics Seminar organizer (2015-2016)
Economics Department Search Committee (2014-2015)
Economics Department Student Activities Coordinator (Spring 2014-present)
Statistics and Data Sciences Advisory Committee (Fall 2014-present)
South Asia Concentration Committee (Fall 2013-present)
Global South Development Studies Committee (Fall 2013-present)
Economics major/minor advising, Global South Development Studies minor advising,
and liberal arts advising (ongoing)
Economics Department Ross-Herman Committee (Fall 2013-present)
Economics Department Honors thesis advisor (2014-2015, 2015-2016)
Economics Department Honors thesis reader (Spring 2015)
2 Citizenship: USA
Gender: Female
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