MANI  NEPAL, PhD

Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of New Mexico,

MSC05 3060, Albuquerque, NM 87131, Email: nepal@unm.edu, Tel: (505) 277-7010

 

Education

 

2002-2007       PhD     University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

PhD in Economics (with Distinction, July 2007)

Fields: Resource/ Environmental Economics; International / Development Economics; Econometrics.

 

2000-2002              MS      University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Masters of Science in Policy Economics (August 2002)

Fields: Public Economics; Environmental Economics; Development Economics.

 

1993-1995              MA      Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. MA in Economics (First class first with distinction, May 1995)

Fields: Mathematical Economics; Public Economics.

 

1989-1992           BA      Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. Bachelor of Arts (First class first with distinction in Mathematics, 1992)

Majors: Mathematics and Economics.

 

Research Interests

·         Development Economics: e.g., poverty mapping, income distribution, economic polarization, household welfare.

·         Environmental/ Resource Economics: e.g., methodological validity of non-market valuation, linkages between resource extraction and pollution, resource conservation.   

·         Public Economics: e.g., taxation and public expenditures, time series forecasting, local public finance, public project evaluation.

·         Others: causes and consequences of conflicts, health, women and children issues, social capital, micro-simulation, general equilibrium modeling.

 
Teaching Interests

Econometrics, Mathematical Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Environmental & Resource Economics, Public Economics. 

 

Research Methods/Tools

Applied Econometrics, Hierarchical Models, Count Data Models, Bayesian Gibbs Sampling (MCMC), CGE with GAMS, Microsimulations, ArcGIS.  

 

Fellowship/Scholarships

Fulbright Fellowship (2000-2002): Fulbright Fellowship from US Government to study for Masters of Science in Policy Economics degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

Birendra –Aishworya Fellowship (1992-1994): Tribhuvan University, Nepal for two years while studying for Masters degree at the Thribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal (1992-94).

Merit-Based Scholarship (1993-1994): Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Merit Based Scholarship (1990-1991): Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Kathmandu Nepal.

 

 

Awards/Honors

Distinction (2007) in PhD Economics Dissertation, Department of Economics, University of New Mexico.

 

Stuart Prize (2004): Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, USA.

 

Distinction (2004) in PhD Econometrics Comprehensive Exam, Department of Economics, University of New Mexico.

 

Distinction (1995) in MA Economics, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Tara Pad Chaudhari Medal (1995): Tribhuvan University, Nepal for securing the first position with distinction in the Maters level examination (Economics), (Dec 1996).

 

Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan ‘B’ gold medal (1995):  Tribhuvan University, Nepal for securing the first position with distinction in the MA level study, (Feb 1996).

 

Mahendra Bidhya Bhudan ‘C, gold medal (1991): Tribhuvan University, Nepal for securing the first position in the Bachelor level (BA) exams, TU, Nepal (Feb 1992).

 

Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus Award (1992): Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, TU, Nepal for securing the first position in the Bachelor exams under TU (Aug 1992).

 

 

Professional Experience

 

a) Research

 

2004-2006       Senior Economist (winter 2006, summer 2006, 2005, 2004): Department of Finance and Administration, State of New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

·         Modeling time series forecasting of New Mexico State’s and local government’s Gross Receipts Tax, Corporate Income Tax, and Compensating Tax.

 

2003-2004       Research Assistant to Prof. Alok Bohara, Department of Economics, University of New Mexico. Worked on research project

·         Analyzing household survey data, and conducted microsimulations using Computable General Equilibrium with GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling Systems).

 

1999               Economist: Action Aid Nepal (an International Non Gov. Organization)

·         Conducted a study to assess the impact of the reduction of fertilizer subsidies to poor Nepalese farmers.

 

1998-2000       Economist: Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies (a social science research institute), Kathmandu. Worked in the following projects:     

·         Taxation and the Poor. An investigation about the impact of various Taxes on the poor people in Nepal.

·         Productivity, Wages, Employment, and Labor Market Situation in Nepal. Collecting and analyzing data, and writing a report.

·         Development Challenges for Nepal. A report based on a field survey.

 

1995-1996       Research Associate: Agricultural Projects Services Center, Kathmandu, Nepal.

·         Measuring Micro Impact of Macro Adjustment Policies, Nepal, funded by International Development Research Center, Canada.

·         Collecting data and information about socially and economically deprived occupational caste/ethnic groups in Nepal, analyzing the data, and writing a report; and reviewing the changes in Macroeconomic Policies in Nepal.

 

b) Teaching

2007-2008        Visiting Assistant Professor: Department of Economics, University of New Mexico.

·         Workshop in Applied Economics (Econ 595): Fall 2007 (n=16)

·         Intermediate Microeconomics (Econ 300): Fall 2007 (n=50)

·         Introduction to Statistics and Econometrics (Econ 309): Fall 2007 (n=48)

·         Microeconomic Theory II (Econ 513): Spring 2008 (n=21)

·         Introduction to Statistics and Econometrics (Econ 309):Spring 2008 (n=40)

 

 

2003-2007        Instructor: Department of Economics, University of New Mexico. Full responsibility for the following courses:

·         Intermediate Macroeconomics (Econ 303): Summer 2007. (n=36)

·         Macroeconomics (Econ 105): Summer 2005 (principles class). (n=72)

·         Microeconomics (Econ 106): Summer 2006, Spring 2005 (principles class). (n=65 and 110)

·         Statistics & Econometrics (Econ 309): Spring 2007, Spring 2006 (two sections, n = 25 each), Fall 2005, Fall 2004.  (n= 40 each)

·         Mathematics for Applied Economics (Econ 595): Fall 2006, Fall 2005, Fall 2004, Fall 2003.  (n=18 and 15, and 17, and 16)

 

2002-07           Teaching Assistant: Department of Economics, University of New Mexico.

Graduate Econometrics I (Econ 509), Time-Series Forecasting (Econ 408) (Spring 2007)

Graduate Econometrics II (Econ 510) (Fall 2006)

Graduate Microeconomic Theory I (Econ 501) (Spring 2005)

Personal Investment (Econ 212) (Fall 2005)

                       Principal Macroeconomics and Microeconomics (2002-03)

                        

1997-2000       Lecturer: Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

·         Taught Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Quantitative Techniques, and Mathematical Economics for MA students.

·         Supervised Masters Theses for 6 students in the area of Value Added Tax, Sales Tax, Environment, Income Distribution, Gender, and Poverty.

 

1995-1997       Assistant Lecturer:  Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan      University, Kathmandu, Nepal.

·         Taught Mathematical Economics, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics for MA students.

·         Supervised Masters Theses for 4 students in the areas of gender, income inequality, environment, and child labor.

 

 

Publications

 

Journal Articles

 

“Human Rights Violation, Corruption, and the Policy of Repression,” Policy Studies Journal Forthcoming (with Alok K Bohara, Neil J Mitchell and Nejem Raheem).

 

“Investigating the Impact of Social Networks on Household Forest Conservation Effort in Rural Nepal,” Land Economics 83(2): 174-191, May 2007 (with Alok K. Bohara, and Robert P. Berrens).

 

“Opportunity, Democracy and Political Violence: A Sub-national Analysis of Conflict in Nepal,” Journal of Conflict Resolution 50 (Feb 2006): 108-128 (with Alok K. Bohara, and Neil Mitchell).

 

“Nepal’s Tax System: Issues and Destinies”, The Economic Journal of Nepal 21 (1998: 2).

 

“Elasticity and Buoyancy of Nepal’s Tax System”, The Economic Journal of Nepal 18 (1995:4).

 

Manuscripts /Working Papers

 

“Consumption Insurance under Uncertainty: The Case of Nepal during Maoist Insurgency,” (with Alok K Bohara), under review.

 

 “Inequality, Polarization and Conflict: Evidence from Maoist Insurgency in Nepal,” (with Alok K Bohara, and Kishore Gwande) under review.  

 

“A Test of Consequentialism in Contingent Valuation Survey,” (with Robert Berrens, and Alok Bohara), under review.  

 

“On Optimal Extraction of Exhaustible Resources with Degradable Stock Pollutants.”

 

“Mapping and Decomposition of Poverty and Inequality: Nepal,” with Alok Bohara.

 

“The Plight of the Forgotten Ones: Civil War and Internal Displacement in Nepal,” with Prakash Adhikari. 

 

“Monetary Approach to Exchange Rate: Forecasting with VAR and VECM.”

  

“Civil War and Its Socio-Economic Impacts in Peru.” 

 

 

Published Books

 

Development Challenges for Nepal (1999) (with Madan K Dahal, Dev Raj Dahal, Keshav P Acharya and Krishna B Bhattchan), Kathmandu: Nepal Foundation for Advanced Studies (NEFAS), Nepal.

 

A Basic Course in Economics (1999), Kathmandu: Taleju Publications, Nepal (A textbook for undergraduate level courses, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. Nepal).

 

A Course in Economics (2000), (with Prakash Adhikari), Kathmandu: Taleju Publications, Nepal (A textbook for the Bachelor level curriculum under Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal).

 

 

Seminar Presentations/ Organizational & Invited Talks

 

“Inequality, Polarization and Violent Conflict: The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal,” Second Annual Himalayan Policy Research Conference Nepal Study Center, Concourse Hotel, Wisconsin, Madison, October 11, 2007.  

 

“Poverty, Inequality, Violent Conflict, And Welfare Loss: Micro-Level Evidence From Nepal,” Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, June 26, 2007.

 

“Consumption Insurance under Uncertainty: Evidences from Nepal during Maoist Insurgency,” Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, April 6, 2007.

 

“Can Households Insure Consumption Properly in Low Income Countries during Violent Conflict?: Evidences from Nepal during Maoist Insurgency,” 87th Annual Meeting of the Southern Social Science Association (SSSA), Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 14-17, 2007.

 

 “The Plight of the Forgotten Ones: Civil War and Internal Displacement in Nepal,” First Annual Himalayan Policy Research Conference, Nepal Study Center, Concourse Hotel, Wisconsin, Madison Pre-conference Venue of the  35th South Asian Conference at the U. of Wisconsin, Madison, Thursday, October 19, 2006.

 

“Time Series Forecasting of Corporate Income Tax, Compensating Tax and the Taxable Gross Receipts,” Department of Finance and Administration, State of New Mexico, Santa Fe, June 28, 2006.

 

“Investigating the Impact of Social Networks on Household Forest Conservation Effort in Rural Nepal,” Department of Economics, University of New Mexico, October 7, 2005.

 

“Investigating the Impact of Social Networks on Household Forest Conservation Effort in Rural Nepal” 7th CU (Colorado University) Environmental and Resource Economics Workshop, Vail, Colorado, September 23-24, 2005.

 

“Time Series Models for Forecasting Taxable Gross Receipts: State and Local Governments.” Department of Finance and Administration, State of New Mexico, Santa Fe, August 11, 2005.

 

“Monetary Approach to Exchange Rate: Forecasting with VAR and VECM” 47th Annual Conference, Western Social Science Association (WSSA), Albuquerque, NM April 13-16, 2005.

 

“Opportunity, Democracy, and Political Violence: A Sub-national Analysis of Conflict in Nepal,” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Studies Association, Le Centre Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Mar 17, 2004 (with Bohara, Alok. and Mitchell, Neil).

 

“Gross Receipt Tax of New Mexico: Time Series Modeling” Department of Finance and Administration, State of New Mexico, Santa Fe, August 7, 2004.

 

“Nepal’s Tax System: Issues and Destinies”, National Seminar/Workshop on Public Financing/Investment, Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, December 24-26, 1997.

 

 

Selected Workshops/Trainings

 

Advanced Techniques in General Equilibrium Modeling with GAMS: April 5-10, 2004, Washington DC, USA (Organized by EcoMod).

 

Computable General Equilibrium Modeling (CGEM) with GAMS: Nov 16-Dec 5, 1997, Kathmandu, Nepal (Organized by CREFA, Laval University and Micro Impact of Macro and Adjustment Policies (MIMAP) project of International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada).

 

Third International Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) Workshop: April12-22, 1999, Haidarabad, India (Organized by International PRA Research Program).

 

 

Student/University Service

 

Vice-president, Nepali Student Association, University of New Mexico, 2004-2006.

 

Member, Curriculum Development Committee (Macroeconomics), Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan University, Nepal (1999-2000).

 

 

Professional Association Membership

 

American Economic Association

 

 

Statistical Software

 

STATA, RATS, SAS, MLwiN, ForecastPRO, GAMS, DAD, PovMap, ESTELLA, ArcGIS