Dr Vatsal Khandelwal
Vatsal is a development economist who models, measures, and analyses social networks to address challenges critical to global wellbeing.
He recently completed the requirements of the DPhil in Economics at the University of Oxford and received the MSc in Economics for Development from the university before that. He has also worked as a research assistant at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford and a research consultant at J-PAL in India.
His current theoretical work focuses on the dynamic, multiplicative impact of an individual’s learning idiosyncrasies on the long-run beliefs of their social network, i.e. how different idiosyncratic ways in which individuals update their beliefs after receiving new information can affect the convergence of societal beliefs over time.
On the empirical side, he runs randomized controlled trials with his co-authors to study the impact of behavioural interventions on outcomes crucial to development. This includes a randomized controlled trial aimed at improving dialogue around mental health in India and an ongoing trial to improve the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of students in Pakistan. He is also currently working on a joint field project to study aspirations and female entrepreneurship in rural Nepal.
