International Development Economics

International Development Economics
My passion for International Development was ignited by my various travels and adventures after high school. Since I was born and raised in the urban Mainland China, my parents encouraged me to go and explore the world. I have been to various places and have met people from different backgrounds since my teenage years. I have been to luxurious metropolitan cities, and to poor rural villages too. I remember from a volunteer experience, seeing young kids in the countryside running towards me because I was holding a pouch with all kinds of simple stationery they have never seen before, with some treating my pen as some delicate treasure.
From my travels, I got to experience and witness the hard life that low-income peasants endure in rural China and all over the world. Furthermore, I saw the inherent failure of monetary donations in regards to improving the lives of the poor and marginalized. With a significant percent of these impoverished people being denied their fundamental rights, such as access to cheap education and other social amenities, I took it upon myself to implement the change I wanted to see.
For instance, by the time I was 17-years old; I had hosted several school-wide fundraising events for the needy and founded a student organization called ‘Social Practice Club’ to help the underprivileged kids in rural areas. I firmly believed that donating money to the needy is no panacea and there must exist better ways to help the poor in the long run, and hence I wanted to learn and do more.

Therefore, I chose to study “Agricultural, Consumer Economics” at the “University of Illinois” at “Urbana-Champaign”, concentrating on “Policy, International Trade, and Development.”
At the University of Illinois, I had the opportunity to learn from a sagacious professor and an active researcher in International Development, Dr. Paul McNamara. Dr. McNamara inspired me in his class ACE 451: Agriculture in International Development with his works on helping underprivileged people by strengthening agricultural extension heavily influencing my thinking. In 2015, I joined Dr. McNamara’s USAID funded Agricultural Extension and Food Security program as a research intern. Due to my participation in research on increasing the extension and advisory services for smallholder farmers in developing countries to improve productivity and reduce poverty, I learned that knowledge is a powerful tool for poverty alleviation. I found my goal: becoming a researcher in International Development Economics, becoming a change-maker.
With my second major in Food Science and Human Nutrition and as a Chinese citizen who witnessed the gender inequality rooted in my culture that women have unequal access to education, health care, agricultural production, etc., I found it is important to invest and research in nutrition, education, and gender. Therefore, I primarily worked on the projects related to the Integrating Gender and Nutrition in Agricultural Extension Services (INGENAES) program. I believe the development and investment in gender parity and nutritional education have enormous benefits on disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Furthermore, I took the initiatives to design a nutrition and balanced diet curriculum for Bangladesh students; I co-wrote the Landscape Analysis for the extension program in Sierra Leone with my fellow researchers and studied the extension development strategies for the project kick-off. Working with Dr. McNamara further enhanced my passion for international development ensuring my dedication to pursuing my goal of becoming a researcher in International Development.
After I had graduated in August 2016, I decided to take a year off before graduate school. After graduation, I joined Landesa (formerly known as Rural Development Institute) as a research assistant. At Landesa, we strive to alleviate poverty through securing land tenure. In Landesa’s Beijing Office, I have the opportunity to work with the researchers who devoted decades of time on legislative and policy research for land rights reform. Because of my particular interests, I spend a significant amount of time focusing on the various gender-related issues existing in the current legislation and policies in China. It was shocking to me that there are lots of gender disparity issues that need reform because the tradition of “favoring boys over girls” is deeply embedded in the law and culture. Take the curtilage issue, as an example of an adult female, cannot be entitled to the same rights as her male counterparts. While men can be allowed the use of a single curtilage per person, women only can have the same right only if she is the only daughter in the household or from a home with female children only. The gender disparity shackles development, and I believe it is part of my responsibility to reduce the gender inequality.
At Landesa, my belief that research and knowledge are great tools for development and sustainability was further compounded. In 2016, we finished the 7th 17-province survey on rural China land rights on 1,870 villages that make up China’s two-thirds of rural population altogether. Helping researchers on data analysis and concluding the findings for policy recommendation, I noted of the little effectiveness of current policies and regulations in protecting farmers’ land rights. We also work under the policy guidance of Rural Land Contracting Law Revision. As a research assistant, I examined how women’s legal access to land in China is undermined by the existing definition of rural land rights as household joint property rights. I also assisted in the policy recommendation research on the analysis for categorizing women as joint holder of such assets. I find it inspiring and motivational that an international research-based NGO has done so much to help the developing countries in securing land tenure rights and reduce poverty by promoting ambitious and progressive land ownership reforms.
I am eager to become a skilled researcher and contribute to the works that help the poorest by joining Cornell University’s Applied Economics and Management program. I believe that the poorest amongst us only need someone to take a chance on them and with the right education; they have the ability to improve their livelihood. I am confident that my experiences have nurtured a deep belief in myself and others who only need an opportunity to express themselves properly.
I am hoping to continue my studies on Economic Development and Empowerment for developing countries at Cornell University. I believe that with my academic background, research experience and obvious passion for international development, I am adequately prepared for the prestigious and rigorous Applied Economics program. I have a deep conviction that for change to occur, we first need to thrive in an environment that nurtures a positive mental attitude with creativity being another essential attribute. I believe that the Applied Economics program offered at Cornell University will equip me with the vital knowledge and tools to ensure the full realization of my vision.
As a person who strives to become a qualified and competent researcher in Development Economics, I see myself completing my Master’s Degree to pursuing my Ph.D. in the same field in the future. Hence, I would appreciate the opportunity to join AEM with the concentration on International Development Economics, considering it a privileged and honorable step that brings me closer to realizing my goal of becoming a change-maker.