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Welcome to VLab!

The mosaic above features Spelman students who have worked with me in the virtual lab, VLab.  

Also featured are some students at other institutions who have worked as VLab managers or interns.

What does a VLab research assistant do?

Read this document or watch this video or this video.

VLab research assistants conduct a range of tasks, for example:

* obtaining Institutional Review Board certification

* literature reviews (e.g., journal articles) 

* programming (e.g., surveys) 

* data collection (e.g., field experiments) 

* data analysis (mainly using Stata

* preparing (poster) presentations 

* traveling (e.g., to collect data or visit other campuses) 

* presenting at/attending conferences (including Spelman Research Day)

* participating in VLab meetings and coding sessions  

* evaluating the VLab research experience by completing this anonymous survey.

What types of topics do I work on?

I am a behavioral and experimental economist who conducts research in development economics, household finance, and entrepreneurship, particularly in marginalized communities. See this link.

Where are they now?

VLab research assistants have placed at graduate or predoc programs at Brookings Institution, Columbia University, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Georgia State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, University of Maryland, College Park, and Yale University as well as organizations such as Accenture, Atlanta Community Food Bank, CARE, Deloitte, Delta Airlines, Dropbox, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Mathematica, and Wells Fargo.  

Interested in working with VLab or have questions?

Contact me herehere, or via my Spelman email.

You can also reach out to current or former research assistants via their Spelman email

or social media to learn about their VLab experience.

________

OTHER RESOURCES

Pre-college or in college?

Check out: aea resources  

Need general research assistant advice?  nsf internjpal, doleac, viceisza

Are you coding in econ?  shapiro, durstata, princetonr, jones, kasy 

Wondering about, going to, or in grad school?  

Check out: aea video

Applying to grad school?  fisk-vandy, kudamatsu, nsf grfp, gasman, leadership alliance (la)

Going to or in grad school?  blattner, siegel's math camp, eble  

Participate in programs such as spelman-sloanaea stp, la, icpsrharvardphd excellence, stanford 

Look at conferences/initiatives such as sadie collective, williams, berkeley, cornell 

Consider research assistantships or prep programs such as fed, brookings, ifpri, urbanpredoc 

Already have a Ph.D. in econ or plan to soon?  

Check out: select researchtenure lettersjournal stuff, doleac, mueller   

Applying to NSF SBE?  bam! mentoring program, viceisza (updates),  this workshop

Other 

Check out: csmgep, nea, cswep, ashe  

Report any broken links via this form

Rachel Foster

Rachel Foster

Hometown: West Babylon, NY Major: Economics (C'2028) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2024-pres. Career Interests: Impact Investing

Sarah Lokenauth

Sarah Lokenauth

Hometown: Atlanta, GA Major: Economics (C'2027) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2024-pres. Career Interests: Economic Development, International Policy and Economics

Zione Yeboah-Amankwah

Zione Yeboah-Amankwah

Hometown: Washington, DC Major: Economics and French (C'2027) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2024-pres. Career Interests: International Public Policy

Hannah Hailemicael

Hannah Hailemicael

Hometown: Denver, CO Major: Economics (C'2026) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2023-pres. Career Interests: Law and Policy

Jadyn Jones

Jadyn Jones

Hometown: Frisco, TX Major: Economics (C'2025) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2023-24 Career Interests: Law (Entertainment/Corporate Law)

Dahlia Tarver

Dahlia Tarver

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Major: Economics (C'2026) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2023 Career Interests: Financial Services; Economic Policy

Nia Mubanga

Nia Mubanga

Hometown: Lithonia, GA Major: Economics (C'2024) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2023 Career Interests: Investment Banking; MBA

Amaia Calhoun

Amaia Calhoun

Hometown: Cleveland, OH Major: Economics (C'2023) Spelman Position: Sloan Scholar, 2020-23; VLab RA, 2021-23 Career Interests: Entrepreneurship; Venture Capital; Financial Services

Melanie De La Rosa

Melanie De La Rosa

Hometown: Honolulu, HI Major: Economics (C'2024) Spelman Position: Sloan Scholar, 2020-21; VLab RA, 2021-22 Career Interests: Entrepreneurship; Consulting Twitter: @Melanie49343641

Brooklyn Momon

Brooklyn Momon

Hometown: Atlanta, GA Major: Economics and Dance (C'2025) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2022 Career Interests: MBA

Jillian Mays

Jillian Mays

Hometown: St. Louis, MO Major: Economics (C'2025) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2021-22 Career Interests: Business; Financial banking Twitter: @jillianmays_

Gabrielle Strawn

Gabrielle Strawn

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Major: Economics (C'2023) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2021-22 Career Interests: Law; Policy; Real Estate; Financial Services

Gabriella Lee

Gabriella Lee

Hometown: Pikesville, MD Major: Psychology (C'2025) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2021-22 Career Interests: Graduate School in Psychology; Behavioral Analyst

Alexa Mason

Alexa Mason

Hometown: Charlottesville, VA Major: Economics (C'2023) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2020-22 Career Interests: Graduate School in Economics; Statistician; Data Analyst

Markala Hall

Markala Hall

Hometown: Atlanta, GA Major: Economics (C'2022) Spelman Position: VLab RA, Summer 2021 Career Interests: Research in Health Economics; Business Consultant

Ariel Haygood

Ariel Haygood

Hometown: Southfield, MI Major: Economics (C'2023) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2020-21 Career Interests: Consulting; MBA Twitter: @ArielHaygood

Kaylie Kenebrew

Kaylie Kenebrew

Hometown: Houston, TX Major: Economics and Comparative Women's Studies (C'2022) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2020-21 Career Interests: Law; Public Policy Twitter: @KaylieKenebrew

Mercy Chebet Rono

Mercy Chebet Rono

Hometown: Kenya Major: Economics (C' 2021) Spelman Position: VLab RA, 2018-21; Sloan Scholar, Summer 2020 Other Position(s): Predoc at MIT Sloan, since 2021; AEA Summer Program, 2020 Career Interests: Graduate School In Economics Twitter: @Mercy7Rono

Taylor Brown

Taylor Brown

Hometown: Sarasota, FL Major: Economics (C'2021) Spelman Position: VLab RA, Summer 2020 Career Interests: Data Science Twitter: @tjanetbrown

Alexis Porter

Alexis Porter

Hometown: Chicago, IL Major: Economics (C'2021) Spelman Position: VLab RA, May-June 2020 Career Interests: Consulting

Christina Flakes

Christina Flakes

Hometown: Dallas TX Major: Economics (C' 2020) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2017-20 Other Position(s): JPMorgan Chase; UCSD-STARS, Summer 2018 Career Interests: Data Analytics; Consulting Twitter: @cflakes44

Jala Abner

Jala Abner

Hometown: Inglewood, CA Major: Economics (C'2020) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2019-20 Other Position(s): Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, since 2020; AEA Summer Program, 2020; UCSD-STARS, Summer 2019 Career Interests: Economist; Statistician; Data Analyst Twitter: @AbnerJala

Shelby Pauling

Shelby Pauling

Hometown: Chicago, IL Major: Economics (C’ 2020) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2017-19 Other Position(s): Goldman Sachs; UCSD-STARS, Summer 2018 Career Interests: Financial Services; MBA

Kendra Brown

Kendra Brown

Hometown: Norfolk VA Major: Economics (C' 2019) Spelman Position: RA for "Media influences on E&I", 2017-18 Other Position(s): Accenture Career Interests: Consulting; Entrepreneurship

Elioenai Rufen-Blanchette

Elioenai Rufen-Blanchette

Hometown: New York Major: Economics (C' 2019) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2017 Career Interests: Graduate School in Economics

Shantreez Burris

Shantreez Burris

Hometown: Louisiana Major: Economics (C' 2019) Spelman Position: RA for "Broadening Participation: Grants Application & Management", 2017 Other Position(s): Accenture Career Interests: Consulting; MBA/JD

Camille Black

Camille Black

Hometown: Houston TX Major: Economics (C' 2018) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2016-17 Other Position(s): Newell Brands; FDIC Career Interests: Government

MoNeka Young

MoNeka Young

Hometown: Flint MI Major: Economics (C' 2018) Spelman Position: RA for "Remittances and Eye-tracking", 2016-17 Other Position(s): Ford Motor Company; Charles Steward Mott Foundation Career Interests: Graduate School in Taxation; Tax Attorney

Easlynn Lee

Easlynn Lee

Hometown: Houston TX Major: Economics (C' 2017) Spelman Position: RA for "Bite me! ...", 2016-17 Other Position(s): Dropbox Career Interests: JD/MBA

Kadija Yilla

Kadija Yilla

Hometown: Ewing NJ Major: Economics (C' 2018, Domestic Exchange Student from Pomona College) Spelman Position: RA for "Bite me! ...", 2016 Other Position(s): Brookings Institution; Goldman Sachs Career Interests: Consulting; Financial Services; Ph.D.

Kendyl Curry

Kendyl Curry

Hometown: Durham NC Major: Economics (C' 2015) Spelman Position: RA for "Portfolios of the Atlanta Poor", 2013-15 Other Position(s): MBA Student, Columbia Business School; Delta Air Lines Career Interests: Graduate School in Business; Entrepreneurship; Fashion/Apparel

Rayna Thornton

Rayna Thornton

Hometown: Waldorf MD Major: Economics (C' 2015) Spelman Position: RA for "Portfolios of the Atlanta Poor", 2013-15 Other Position(s): Mathematica Policy Research Career Interests: Graduate School in Criminology; Policy Research

Jasmine Payne

Jasmine Payne

Hometown: Taunton MA Major: English (C' 2015) Spelman Position: Social Justice & Thesis Advisee, 2013-15 Other Position(s): CARE; Master of Public Administration, GA State; Atlanta Community Food Bank Career Interests: Executive Leadership at agencies combatting poverty

Ama Yates-Ekong

Ama Yates-Ekong

Hometown: Saint Louis MO Major: Sociology (C' 2015) Spelman Position: Social Justice Advisee, 2013-14 Other Position(s): Cotiviti Healthcare Career Interests: Health Inquities; Social Entrepreneurship; Philanthropy

Amber O'Donoghue

Amber O'Donoghue

Hometown: Chicago IL Major Economics (C' 2015) Spelman Position: TA for MGT 320 Principles of Financial Management, 2015 Other Position(s): Newell Brands Career Interests: Marketing; Brand Management & Activation; Strategy

Rae'Johne Smith

Rae'Johne Smith

Hometown: Tuskegee AL Major Economics (C' 2015) Spelman Position: TA for MGT 320 Principles of Financial Management, 2013-14 Other Position(s): Wells Fargo Securities; Level II Candidate in the CFA program Career Interests: Finance; Banking

Luísa Nazareno

Luísa Nazareno

Hometown: Brazil Major: Ph.D. in Public Policy, Georgia State University Spelman Position: Senior RA and VLab Manager, 2021-2024 Career Interests: Academic Research

Adan Griffith

Adan Griffith

Hometown: Lithonia, GA VLab Position: Research Intern, 2022 Other Position: Incoming Freshman, Arabia Mountain High School Career Interests: Business/Law Firm

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