Yonas Alem
University of Gothenburg
School of Business, Economics, and Law
Department of Economics
Vasagatan 1, Box 405 30
Gothenburg, Sweden
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Homepage:
(+46) 31 786 1371
(+46) 31 -786 1043
yonas.alem@economics.gu.se
http://www.eonomis.gu.se/english/staff
Current Positions
Research Fellow, School of Business, Economics and Law, Department of Economics, University of
Gothenburg.
Research Coordinator, Environment for Development Initiative, Department of Economics, University of
Gothenburg.
Visiting Scholar, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California Berkeley.
Education
Ph.D. Economics, University of Gothenburg, May 2011.
Dissertation: Essays on Shocks, Welfare, and Poverty Dynamics: Micro-econometric Evidence from
Ethiopia.
Examiner: Professor Stefan Dercon, Department of Economics, University of Oxford.
Course Work: Two years core and specialization course work (134 ECTS).
MSc. Economics, Addis Ababa University, 2004.
MSc. Specialization Certificate, Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis, University of Pretoria,
2003.
B.A. Economics, Addis Ababa University with distinction, 2002.
Diploma Accounting, Addis Ababa Commercial College with distinction, 1995.
Other Training and Courses
Supervision in Postgraduate Programmes, a PhD-level qualifying pedagogic course for doctoral supervisors, Spring 2013, University of Gothenburg.
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, a PhD-level qualifying pedagogic course for higher education
teachers, Spring 2010, University of Gothenburg.
Research to Policy: Training in Policy Advice, June 2007 -June 2010, SIDA help-desk, University of Gothenburg.
Poverty Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Effects - PhD level, August, 2009, University of Oslo.
The Economics of Wildlife Conservation, August, 2003, University of Pretoria, S. Africa.
Basic Teaching Methodology, August 2002, St. Mary’s college, Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
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Relevant Professional Experience
Research Fellow, Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg. Undertake research, teach and
supervise graduate students, May 2011-to date.
Research Coordinator, Environment for Development Initiative (EfD), Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg. Coordinate environment and development related research in six EfD supported
centers (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, China and Costa Rica), review proposals for funding, review research deliverables, and submissions for EfD Discussion Paper series, organize research
meetings, January 2012 - to date.
Principal investigator, Ethiopian Urban Socio-economic Survey - 2009. Administer, co-ordinate, supervise, data collection and design data entry forms using CSpro for the household socio-economic survey
undertaken in four major cities of Ethiopia, December, 2008 - June 2009.
Lecturer, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Teach and advise undergraduate students, co-ordinate courses and undertake other administrative tasks. March 2005- August 2006.
Acting chairman, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Lead department, allocate course
loads to staff and represent department in faculty and university level academic meetings. June 2005January, 2006.
Research Associate, Environmental Economic Policy Forum for Ethiopia, August 2008-present.
Assistant Researcher, Environmental Economic Policy Forum for Ethiopia. Assisting Research on the
project: “Cost Benefit Framework for Sustainable Land Management in Ethiopia, organizing the 2nd
national workshop on “Sustainable Land Management Practices in Ethiopia” held at the International
Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 4-5, 2006 and editing conference proceedings. Feb. - June 2006.
Graduate Assistant, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Teaching undergraduate students and coordinate courses. September 2002- August 2004.
Research Team Leader, Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) Project Conducted by Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development (MOFED) of Ethiopia and the World Bank. Undertaking Poverty Study
and leading a research team. Nov. 2004- May 2005.
Graduate Assistant, Department of Management and Marketing, St. Mary’s College, Addis Ababa.
Teaching undergraduate students. August 2002- October 2004.
Publications
Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals
Alem, Y., and Köhlin, G. (2013). The Impact of Food Price Inflation on Subjective Well-being: Evidence
from Urban Ethiopia, Forthcoming, Social Indicators Research.
Ekbom, A., Alem, Y., and Sterner, T. (2013). Integrating Soil Science into Agricultural Production
Frontiers. Environment and Development Economics, (2013), 18(3): 291-308.
Alem, Y., and Söderbom, M., (2012). Household-level consumption in urban Ethiopia: The effects of a
large food price shock. World Development, 40: 146-162.
Alem, Y., Bezabih, M., Kassie, M., and Zikhali, P. (2010). Does fertilizer use respond to rainfall variability? Panel data evidence from Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, 41: 165-175.
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Working Papers
Alem, Y. 2013. Relative Standing and Subjective Well-being: Does Controlling for Unobserved Heterogeneity Matter? (Under Review)
Alem, Y., & Colmer, J. 2013. The Welfare Cost of Rainfall Variability: A Subjective Well-being Approach,
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg.
Alem, Y., & Broussard, H. N. 2013. Do Safety Nets Promote Technology Adoption? Panel Data Evidence from Rural Ethiopia (Under Review).
Alem, Y., Hassen, S., & Köhlin, G. 2013. The Dynamics of Electric Cookstove Adoption: Panel Data
Evidence from Ethiopia (Under Review).
Alem, Y., Köhlin, G., & Stage, J. 2012. The Persistence of Subjective Poverty in Urban Ethiopia, Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg (Revise and Resubmit).
Alem, Y., Damte, A., Köhlin, G., & Mekonen, A. 2012. Household fuel choice in urban Ethiopia: a
Random Effects Multinomial Logit Analysis.
Alem, Y., 2011. Poverty dynamics and intra-household heterogeneity in occupations: Evidence from
urban Ethiopia. Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg. (Revise and Resubmit).
Alem, Y., and Martinsson, P. 2011. What do policy makers know about the factors that influence
citizens’ subjective well-being?. Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg (Under Review).
Alem, Y., 2011. The impact of food price inflation on consumer welfare in urban Ethiopia: A quadratic
almost ideal demand system approach. Department of economics, University of Gothenburg.
Conference and Workshop Papers, Proceedings
Alem, Y. Millock K, and Maurel M., 2011. Environmentally induced rural-urban migration: Panel data
evidence from rural Ethiopia. Presented at the 18th annual conference of the European Association of
Environmental and Resource Economists, Rome, June 29 - July 2, 2011.
Alem, Y., Nelsson, F., 2008. "Does asset index measure economic status of households better in developing countries?" Evidence from urban Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference
on the Ethiopian economy. Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 3-5 July 2008.
Alem, Y., 2006. Work culture and economic growth: economic theory perspective and international
experiences. In: Proceedings of the first national conference on work culture in Ethiopia organized by
ILO, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, September 5-6 September 2006.
Ongoing Research
Meeting Needs but Feeling Poor
Spatial Analysis of Charcoal Supply and Demand, Forest Degradation, and Implications for REDD
(With Elizabeth Robinson, University of Reading).
The Dynamics of Consumption and the Impact of International Remittances on Household Welfare in
Urban Ethiopia.
The Impact of Climate Change on African Agriculture: Panel Data Evidence from Maize Farms (with
Berck, P., University of California Berkeley).
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Subjective Well-being and Religion: Evidence from South Africa (With Bookwalter, J., & Dalenberg, D.,
University of Montana).
Environmentally induced rural-urban migration: Panel data evidence from rural Ethiopia (with Millock K, and Maurel M., Paris School of Economics).
Other Reports and Research Materials
Alem, Y., 2010. Youth unemployment and the youth labor market in urban Ethiopia: Evidence from
household data.
Alem, Y., 2005. Five community reports on Participatory Poverty Assessment. For Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development (MoFED, Ethiopia).
Alem, Y., 2004. Principles of Economics, Distance Teaching Material. Dandi Boru University College.
Ethiopia.
Alem, Y., 2004. Deforestation and agricultural land expansion in Ethiopia: a dynamic optimization
framework to land allocation. MSc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Department of Economics.
Teaching
Lecturing
Econometrics II (PhD), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2013, Panel Data Models (Linear Models,
Linear Dynamic Models, and Non-linear Models).
Applied Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Fall 2012, OLS, IV, Binary Choice, Linear
Panel Data, and Non-Linear Panel Data Models.
Panel Data Econometrics (PhD), University of Dar Es Salaam, Summer 2012, Linear Static Models,
Linear Dynamic Models, Non-linear Static Models, Dynamic Probit Models.
Panel Data Econometrics (MSc.), Mekelle University, Summer 2012, Linear Static Models, Linear Dynamic Models, Dynamic Probit Models.
Natural Resource Economics (Ph.D.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2012, Lectures on the Impact
of Climate Change and Variability on Agriculture in Developing countries.
Development Econometrics (PhD.), University of Gothenburg, Autumn 2011, Topics in Poverty and
Income Distribution Analysis, and Non-linear Panel Data Models, and Dynamic Probit Models.
Applied Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Autumn 2011, Topics in IV estimation and
Linear Panel Data Models.
Econometrics II (Ph.D.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2011, Linear Panel Data Models (Lab Instructor for Prof. Måns Söderbom).
Topics in Risk and Technology Adoption in Agriculture: Experience from Developing Countries (MSc.),
Chalmers University of Technology, Spring 2011.
Graduate Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2010 (Lab Instructor for Prof. Joakim
Westerlund).
Microeconomics (B.A), Curtain University of Technology, Spring 2005.
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Marketing Research, Intermediate Microeconomics, Principles of Economics (B.A), St. Mary’s University College, 2002-2004.
Intermediate Macroeconomics, and Introduction to Statistics (B.A), Zegha University of College, Autumn 2004-Spring 2006.
Development Economics I and II, Intermediate Microeconomics I and II, Principles of Economics,
Ethiopian Economy (B.A), Supervised about a dozen of students writing B.A thesis, Addis Ababa
University, 2002-2006.
Supervision of PhD Students
Remidius Ruhinduka, since January 2012 (With Håkan Eggert)
Sied Hassen, since January 2012 (With Gunnar Köhlin)
Supervision of MSc. Students
Abebe Kassa, 2011, with Prof. Lennart Flood
Research Related Visits and Invited Seminars
Resources for the future (RFF), Academic seminars series, USA, March 2013.
The Ohio State University, Department of Economics, USA, March 2013
University of California Davis, Development Economics Seminar Series, USA, March 2013.
Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February, 2013.
University of Nairobi, Department of Economics staff seminar series, Kenya, February, 2013.
University of Montana, Department of Economics staff seminar series, USA, November, 2012.
University of Dar es Salaam, Department of Economics staff seminar series, Tanzania, July, 2012.
London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, April-May, 2012.
University of Cape Town, School of Economics staff seminar series, South Africa, March 2012.
University of Oxford, Department of Economics, CSAE staff seminar series, UK, December 2010.
The United Nations University - World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER),
Helsinki, Finland, August-October, 2010.
Paris School of Economics, France, June 2010.
Fields of Research and Teaching Interest
Applied Econometrics, Development and Environmental Economics with a particular focus on: the
impact of climate variability and shocks, the economics of household behavior, theories and measurements of vulnerability, poverty, and subjective well-being, decisions under risk and uncertainty,
technology adoption, rural-urban and international migration, and household energy choice.
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Selected Consultancies
Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa, a background paper for African Development Report 2012,
African Development Bank, 2012.
Work Culture and Development in Ethiopia, International Labor Organization (ILO) and CETU, 2006
Participatory poverty assessment, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), and the
World Bank, 2004
Competitive Grants, Scholarships and Awards
“Migration and Environment", ANR (The French National Research Agency), with Katrin Millock and
Mathilde Maurel, 2009-2012.
Awarded PhD scholarship by Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) through the department of economics of Gothenburg University to finance my PhD in economics, since August 2006.
Awarded scholarship by the Center for Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA) to
attend MSc specialization courses in Environmental Economics and Policy in 2003, Pretoria South
Africa.
Awarded African Economic Research Consortium’s (AERC) scholarship for an outstanding MSc. Student, in 2004 to finance my MSc. studies in economics at the department of economics, Addis Ababa
University.
Professional Activities
Reviewer for World Development, Agricultural Economics, Environment and Development Economics, Journal
of Socio-economics, Regional Environmental Change, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
management, and Ethiopian Journal of Economics.
Member European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (EAERE), and Ethiopian
Economic Association.
Last updated: July 2, 2013
http://www.eonomis.gu.se/english/staff