Doctor of Economic Development: Students
Percy Vielong Taabazuing
percyt@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2020
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2023
Percy Taabazuing began the DED program in 2020. Prior to that, he obtained his master’s degree in financial economics from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Ghana in Ghana.
Percy has about two years of investment banking experience working with HSBC Bank in the USA, he also possesses about 3 years of finance experience working in the mining and non-governmental industry in Ghana.
He has a special interest in economic policy research and international trade. Percy looks forward to working with an institution that engenders private sector- lead growth, financial inclusion, and shared prosperity, especially in marginalized economies.
Degrees:
University of Ghana - Bachelors in Business Administration
John Hopkins University - Masters in Financial Economics
Research Interest - Economic policy, International trade, and growth theory models
Komla (Basile) Koumi
kkoumi@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2020
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2023
Mr. Komla (Basile) Koumi joined the New Mexico State University (NMSU) in the fall of 2020 to undertake his Doctor of Economics Development Degree.
Mr. Koumi earned his master’s degree in International Economics and Finance from Brandeis University International Business School in Boston, as a Fulbright Scholar, after completing an Economics and Management Degree from the University of Lomé in Togo.
He has extensive experience in higher education, economic development financing, international relations, and program monitoring reporting & evaluation working mainly with U.S. Diplomatic Mission, and other bilateral and international.
Degrees:
Masters of International Economics and Finance: Brandeis University, Boston, Massachusetts
Economics and Management Degree: University of Lome, Togo, West Africa
Research interests - Applied economics with a special focus on regional economic modeling, economic development finance, economic impact study, employment, and migration.
Kwaku Boakye
kboakye@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2020
Anticipated graduation date: Spring 2024
Kwaku Boakye started the DED Program in Fall 2020. Before this, Kwaku had a Master of Philosophy degree in Agricultural Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics both from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Prior to starting the DED program, Kwaku was a research assistant for 4 years at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Cape Coast (UCC), Ghana. While working as a research assistant at UCC, Kwaku also worked part-time for the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly as an assistant Statistician for 2 years and has also worked as a research consultant/Data analyst for institutions such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Central Region, Ghana).
Kwaku is currently working as a Graduate Assistant at the Department of Economics, Applied Statistics and International Business, NMSU. Kwaku’s research interest is narrowed in the areas of: Environmental and production economics, agricultural development and sustainability, and international finance.
Degrees:
B.A. (Economics) - University of Cape Coast, Ghana
MPhil (Agricultural Economics) - University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Research Interest - Environmental and production economics, agricultural development and sustainability, and international finance.
Abdul Khaliq (AK)
akb@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Mr. Abdul Khaliq (AK) has been a Doctor of Economic Development (DED) program student since the fall of 2022. With a master's and bachelor’s degree in economics, AK brings knowledge and expertise to the field.
Before joining the DED family, AK was a research associate at the Urban Sector Planning and Management Services Unit, Lahore, Pakistan. This experience allowed him to contribute to critical research initiatives within the regional economic growth strategy, demonstrating his commitment to addressing real-world challenges.
Degrees:
Research interests – economic modeling and growth
Hayford Danso
hdanso@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Mr. Hayford Danso, with over ten years of experience in the banking sector, has worked with various banks in Ghana. His expertise lies in loan syndication, credit appraisal, credit risk management, Banking Operations, and relationship management for large corporations and Institutions. Before joining the DED Program in August 2022, Hayford possessed eight(8) years of teaching at various levels of education in Ghana.
He eagerly anticipates working with the United Nations, Commercial Banks, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Society organizations, The Federal Reserve Bank or other regulatory bodies, and the Public Sector.
Degrees:
Master's in Development Finance - University of Ghana
Master's in Operation Management - Sikkim Manipal University (Ghana)
Bachelor's in Mathematics - University of Cape Coast (Ghana)
Research interests – Fiscal Policy in open economies, Financial Globalisation, Rural and Urban Development, and Debt sustainability and Consolidation.
Steven Fulerton
sfuller5@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Steven Fullerton, a native of El Paso, TX, holds an undergraduate Business degree from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science in Economics from the University of Texas El Paso. Post-undergraduate, Steven worked as a loan analyst in commercial banking in the Paso del Norte region before entering the UTEP MS Economics program on a full-time basis.
At UTEP, Mr. Fullerton was a James Foundation Scholar and conducted his thesis research on the housing market in Las Cruces. Following his thesis defense, he accepted a position as an Economist with the UTEP Border Region Modeling Project.
He has published applied economic research studies in the areas of border, housing, international, regional, and sports economics. He was accepted into the DED program in the Fall of 2022. Steven currently works as an Economist at the UTEP Border Region Modeling Project
Degrees:
Masters of Science: Economics - University of Texas El Paso
Research interests –
Brian Turaki
tbrian@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Brian Turaki is a returning NMSU student who joined the DED program in Fall 2022. With over 4 years of experience in the energy industry, Mr. Turaki has been involved in regulatory research, rate strategy, and the support of regulatory filings pertaining to the electricity sector. Prior to his involvement in the energy industry, Mr. Turaki worked as a Budget Analyst for the City of Las Cruces.
Degrees:
Master of Arts in Economics - Public Utility Analysis/ Regulation - New Mexico State University
Bachelor of Business Administration - New Mexico State University
Research interests – Energy Economics, Sustainability, Economic Development, Economic Policy.
Simon K. Maina
mksimon@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Simon has experience spanning more than 10 years in the field of economic development, working with National Government Constituencies Development Funds and as a private consultant in rural economic development in Kenya. Currently, for his research, Simon is working with Savanna Lab, in Plant and Environmental Science (PES) department and looking at welfare impacts of Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) in East Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia). He looks forward to working with economic development agencies all over the world.
Degrees:
Master of Science in Economics - South Dakota State University
Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Business Studies - Kenyatta University, Kenya
Research interests – Economic research, behavioral economics, and economic policy.
Shallan Kwabla Awuye
josmary1@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2022
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2025
Shallan is an experienced economics and mathematics teacher. Besides that, he has also worked with the National Board for Small Scale Industries, Ghana as a consultant on micro enterprises development. He also doubles as a data analyst and has a certification in Tableau Desktop Specialist.
Degrees:
Master's Degree in Development Economics and International Studies - Friedrich Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany
Bachelor of Education in Economics and Mathmatics - University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Research interests – Innovation and technology, agricultural and environmental economics, applied statistics and economic development.
Jason Banegas
zumbabwe@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2019
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2022
After serving as an officer in the US Air Force and several entrepreneurial ventures he started his doctoral programs in 2018 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Extension Economics working in the NMSU Cooperative Extension Services department while he finishes his final project and dissertation.
Degrees:
Cert. Infrastructure Disaster Management, Texas A&M Engineering,
B.A. Classics, University of New Mexico,
M.A. Economics, University of Oklahoma
Research interests – Resource economics, rural development, tourism, indigenous programs, environmental conservation, and all things New Mexico.
Ejiro Osiobe
euosiobe@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall
Anticipated graduation date: Spring 2020
LinkedIn
Ejiro (Jiji) U. Osiobe () is currently pursuing his Doctor of Economic Development with a concentration in Regional Development. His current research is on Human and Physical capital in Latin Americans. When Jiji isn’t working on his research or teaching, he cycles and plays tennis or soccer.
Degrees:
B Sc; General Economics Madonna University
M.A. Financial and International Economics Wichita State University
Research Interests – Human and Physical Capital, NGO Theories, Gift Economy, Regional Development, and Economic Analysis
Md Ziaur Rahman Khan
zia763@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Fall 2018
Anticipated graduation date: Spring 2021
LinkedIn
Zia Khan is a doctoral student in the DED program, currently working on Trade-Based Money Laundering from Developing Countries. His academic interest is in international trade and trade facilitation. He is also working as an instructor of Principles of Macroeconomics and Introduction to Economics courses.
Degrees:
M.A. in Economics (Specialization: Econometrics), New Mexico State University
Masters in Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research Interests: Trade-Based Money Laundering, International trade, and trade facilitation.
Alisha Murphy
almurph@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: Summer 2018
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2021
LinkedIn
Alisha is Dine (Navajo) from Crownpoint, New Mexico. She is a second-year doctoral student in the Doctorate of Economic Development program with a concentration in regional economic development. Her research focus is on examining the economic environment of the Navajo Nation and building on strategies that encourage and empower Navajo entrepreneurship. While she aspires to work directly with Navajo economic development, her training and work within the DED program has broadened her interest into renewable energy economics, international trade, and public utility economics
Degrees:
Master of Arts in Economics - Public Utility regulation - New Mexico State University
Master of Social Work - Social Economic Development - Washington University in St. Louis, MO
Bachelor of Social Work - New Mexico State University
Research interests - Tribal entrepreneurship and economic development, regional/rural entrepreneurship and economic development, Indigenomics, and social community economic development.
Luyen Nguyen
lnguyen@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: 2015
Anticipated graduation date: Fall 2020
LinkedIn
Luyen Nguyen earned a BA in Accounting at Hanoi Finance and Accounting University (1995), worked in Finance and Accounting field before becoming a lecturer at the Banking Academy of Vietnam in 2000. She has given lectures
in Financial Market, Stock Market, Portfolio Management and conducted research independently and joined research projects with the State Bank of Vietnam. In 2011, she earned a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) at Troy University, AL. Since 2015 she has been pursuing the Doctor of Economic Development program at New Mexico State University, during the time she got a Master’s in Economics in 2018. She has been working as a teaching assistant, research assistant, and instructor in Microeconomics and Macroeconomics. Her research has been accepted and presented at The Western Social Science Association, The Southern Economic Association, and The Western Economic Association International conferences.
Degrees
Ma Economics
MBA
Research interests – Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Economic Growth, and Income Inequality; Banking Finance and Economic Stability, Economic Development, Investment
Sajid Noor
sanoor@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED Program: August 2016
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020
LinkedIn
Sajid Noor is a doctoral candidate in the DED program, currently working on his dissertation “Effects of Industrial Diversity on Economic Stability. A Dynamic and Spatial Analysis”. He has published five journal articles and a technical report in the field of economics and right now working on two papers which is about to submit in reputable peer reviews journals. He is also working as an instructor of Principles of Microeconomics and Introduction
to Economics courses. Beside academic background he loves to play badminton and soccer.
Degrees:
M.A. in Economics (Specialization: Econometrics),New Mexico State University
BBA in Finance & Accounting, New Mexico State University
Research Interests: Regional Economics, Economic Development, Industry Analysis, Industrial diversity and Economic Stability, Spatial Econometrics, and Social media and its effects.
Erin Summer
esumner@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program:
Anticipated graduation date:
Erin Sumner is a second-year doctoral student in the Doctor of Economic Development Program and a first-year doctoral student in the Water Science Ph.D program at New Mexico State University. Her current research includes a focus on educational policies and institutions that foster economic development. Additional interests include water supply and management practices that provide access to water for developing communities.
Degrees:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on economics
Master of Arts in Policy Economics
Research Interests – Economic development. Water Science. Educational policies in economic development.
Leila Shadabi
leilla3@nmsu.edu
Entered the DED program: August 2016
Anticipated graduation date: July 2019
LinkedIn
Leila is a recent Doctor of Economic Development (DED). She has worked as a lecturer and researcher in different universities since 2010. She likes to work on economic development topics in regional and national level. Her dissertation was about the effect of natural resources on financial corruption. Also, she research about economic freedom in developing countries. Her region specialist is United Stated and MENA region. She currently works on a project granted by state government about the effect of drought on regional economic development.
Degrees:
Doctorate of Economic Development: New Mexico State University, USA
Masters of Economic Development and Planning: Azad University, Iran
Bachelor of Theoretical Economics: Allameh Tabatabaee’ University, Iran
Research interests - Economic Development Regionally and Nationally, Political economics (Corruption), Water Policy and Development, Natural Resources Economics, Economic Freedom.
