1. No category

Yonas Alem
University of Gothenburg
School of Business, Economics, and Law
Department of Economics
Vasagatan 1, Box 405 30
Gothenburg, Sweden
Phone:
Fax:
Email:
Homepage:
(+46) 31 786 1371
(+46) 31 -786 1043
yonas.alem@economics.gu.se
http://www.economics.gu.se/english/staff
Current Positions
Research Fellow, Department of Economics & Gothenburg Center of Globalization and Development,
University of Gothenburg.
Research Director, Environment for Development Initiative, Department of Economics, University of
Gothenburg.
Recent Positions
Visiting Scholar, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California Berkeley.
Other Affiliations
International Research Associate, EfD- Ethiopia, Ethiopian Development Research Institute, Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia.
International Research Associate, EfD- Tanzania, Department of Economics, University of Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania.
Education
Ph.D. Economics, University of Gothenburg, May 2011.
Dissertation: Essays on Shocks, Welfare, and Poverty Dynamics: Micro-econometric Evidence from
Ethiopia.
Examiner: Professor Stefan Dercon, Department of Economics, University of Oxford.
Course Work: Two years core and specialization course work (134 ECTS).
MSc. Economics, Addis Ababa University, 2004.
MSc. Specialization Certificate, Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis, University of Pretoria,
2003.
B.A. Economics, Addis Ababa University with distinction, 2002.
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Other Training and Courses
Supervision in Postgraduate Programmes, a PhD-level qualifying pedagogic course for doctoral supervisors, Spring 2013, University of Gothenburg.
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, a PhD-level qualifying pedagogic course for higher education
teachers, Spring 2010, University of Gothenburg.
Research to Policy: Training in Policy Advice, June 2007 -June 2010, SIDA help-desk, University of Gothenburg.
Poverty Neighborhoods and Neighborhood Effects - PhD level, August, 2009, University of Oslo.
The Economics of Wildlife Conservation, August, 2003, University of Pretoria, S. Africa.
Basic Teaching Methodology, August 2002, St. Mary’s college, Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
Relevant Professional Experience
Research Fellow, Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg. Undertake research, teach and
supervise graduate students, May 2011-to date.
Research Director/Coordinator, Environment for Development Initiative (EfD), Department of Economics,
University of Gothenburg. Coordinate environment and development related research in seven EfD
supported centers (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, China, Costa Rica and Chile), review
proposals for funding, review research deliverables, and submissions for EfD Discussion Paper series,
organize research meetings, June 2011 - to date.
Principal investigator, Ethiopian Urban Socio-economic Survey - 2009. Administer, co-ordinate, supervise, data collection and design data entry forms using CSpro for the household socio-economic survey
undertaken in four major cities of Ethiopia, December, 2008 - June 2009.
Lecturer, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Teach and advise undergraduate students, co-ordinate courses and undertake other administrative tasks. March 2005- August 2006.
Acting chairman, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Lead department, allocate course
loads to staff and represent department in faculty and university level academic meetings. June 2005January, 2006.
Assistant Researcher, Environmental Economic Policy Forum for Ethiopia. Assisting Research on the
project: “Cost Benefit Framework for Sustainable Land Management in Ethiopia, organizing the 2nd
national workshop on “Sustainable Land Management Practices in Ethiopia” held at the International
Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 4-5, 2006 and editing conference proceedings. Feb. - June 2006.
Graduate Assistant, Department of Economics, Addis Ababa University. Teaching undergraduate students and coordinate courses. September 2002- August 2004.
Research Team Leader, Participatory Poverty Assessment (PPA) Project Conducted by Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development (MOFED) of Ethiopia and the World Bank. Undertaking Poverty Study
and leading a research team. Nov. 2004- May 2005.
Graduate Assistant, Department of Management and Marketing, St. Mary’s College, Addis Ababa.
Teaching undergraduate students. August 2002- October 2004.
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Membership in Committees
Member of the EfD Research Committee (August 2011 - to date)
Publications
Articles in Peer Reviewed Journals
Alem, Y., (2015). Poverty persistence and intra-household heterogeneity in occupations: Evidence from
urban Ethiopia, Oxford Development Studies, 43(1): 20-43.
Alem, Y., Hassen, S., & Köhlin, G. (2014). Adoption and Disadoption of Electric Cookstoves in Urban
Ethiopia: Evidence from Panel Data, Resource and Energy Economics, 38: 110-124.
Sterner, T., Alem, Y. et al., (2014). The Environment for Development Initiative: lessons learned in research, academic capacity building and policy intervention to manage resources for sustainable growth,
Environment and Development Economics, 19(3): 367-391.
Alem, Y., Köhlin, G., & Stage, J. (2014). The Persistence of subjective Poverty in Urban Ethiopia, World
Development, 56: 51-61.
Alem, Y., and Köhlin, G. (2013). The Impact of Food Price Inflation on Subjective Well-being: Evidence
from Urban Ethiopia, Social Indicators Research, 116: 853-868.
Ekbom, A., Alem, Y., and Sterner, T. (2013). Integrating Soil Science into Agricultural Production
Frontiers. Environment and Development Economics, (2013), 18(3): 291-308.
Alem, Y., and Söderbom, M., (2012). Household-level consumption in urban Ethiopia: The effects of a
large food price shock. World Development, 40: 146-162.
Alem, Y., Bezabih, M., Kassie, M., and Zikhali, P. (2010). Does fertilizer use respond to rainfall variability? Panel data evidence from Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics, 41: 165-175.
Working Papers
Alem, Y., Eggert, H., & Ruhinduka, R. (2015). Improving yield through climate-friendly agriculture:
The case of the System of Rice Intensification (Under Review).
Alem, Y & Andersson, L. (2015). International Remittances and Private Inter-household Transfers:
Exploring the Links (Under Review).
Alem, Y., & Colmer, J. (2013). Optimal Expectations and the Welfare Cost of Climate Variability,
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg (Under Review).
Alem, Y., & Broussard, H. N. (2013). The impact of safety nets on technology adoption: A differencein-differences analysis (Under Review).
Alem, Y. (2013). Life-Satisfaction in Urban Ethiopia: The Role of Relative Poverty and Unobserved
Heterogeneity (Revise and Resubmit)
Alem, Y., Damte, A., Köhlin, G., & Mekonen, A. (2013). Household fuel choice in urban Ethiopia: a
Random Effects Multinomial Logit Analysis (Revise and Resubmit).
Alem, Y., (2011). The impact of food price inflation on consumer welfare in urban Ethiopia: A quadratic
almost ideal demand system approach. Department of economics, University of Gothenburg.
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Book Chapters
Alem, Y., & Söderbom, M. (2014). “Teff Consumption in Urban Ethiopia: Trends and Correlates” in
Minten, B., & Taffesse, A.S (eds), The Economics of Teff, (Pensilvenia University Press, 2015).
Conference and Workshop Papers, Proceedings
Alem, Y. Millock K, and Maurel M., (2011). Environmentally induced rural-urban migration: Panel data
evidence from rural Ethiopia. Presented at the 18th annual conference of the European Association of
Environmental and Resource Economists, Rome, June 29 - July 2, 2011.
Alem, Y., Nelsson, F., (2008). "Does asset index measure economic status of households better in developing countries?" Evidence from urban Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of the 6th international conference
on the Ethiopian economy. Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 3-5 July 2008.
Alem, Y., (2006). Work culture and economic growth: economic theory perspective and international
experiences. In: Proceedings of the first national conference on work culture in Ethiopia organized by
ILO, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, September 5-6 September 2006.
Ongoing Research
Social Learning, Gender, and Willingness to Adopt Solar Lanterns: A Randomised Controlled Evaluation (with Urpelainen, J, & Eugenie D. Columbia University).
The Impact of Modern Cooking Stoves and Energy Prices on Charcoal Consumption in Urban Africa:
Evidence from RCT in Tanzania (with Berck, P., University of California Berkeley; Bluffstone, R., Portland State University; and Ruhinduka, R., University of Gothenburg and Dar es Salaam).
The effects of a Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction Programme on health-related behaviors: Evidence
from a Randomized Controlled Experiment (with Belot, M., Behrend, H., and Biro, A. University of
Edinburgh).
Do the Poor Overweigh Low Probability Events? (with Eggert, H., University of Gothenburg; Kocher,
M., University of Munich, and Ruhinduka, R., University of Gothenburg & Dar es Salaam).
Estimation of Food Price Elasticities: Do Unobservables Matter? (With Måns Söderbom, University of
Gothenburg).
Remittances as consumption smoothing mechanism: A Dynamic System GMM analysis.
Other Reports and Research Materials
Alem, Y., 2010. Youth unemployment and the youth labor market in urban Ethiopia: Evidence from
household data.
Alem, Y., 2005. Five community reports on Participatory Poverty Assessment. For Ministry of Finance
and Economic Development (MoFED, Ethiopia).
Alem, Y., 2004. Principles of Economics, Distance Teaching Material. Dandi Boru University College.
Ethiopia.
Alem, Y., 2004. Deforestation and agricultural land expansion in Ethiopia: a dynamic optimization
framework to land allocation. MSc. Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Department of Economics.
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Teaching
Lecturing
Econometrics III (PhD), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2015: Advanced Panel Data Models (Linear
Models, Linear Dynamic Models, and Non-linear Models).
Applied Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Winter 2014: OLS, IV, Binary Choice, Linear
Panel Data, and Non-Linear Panel Data Models; Course Coordinator.
Graduate Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Winter 2014: Full Course.
Natural Resource Economics (PhD), University of California Berkeley, Fall 2014: Indoor Air Pollution
and Improved Cooking Stoves - Identifying the Impacts
Development Economics (PhD), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2014: Household Economics, Risk
sharing and Informal Insurance, Consequences of Risk and Shocks, Savings, Credit and Technology
Adoption.
Panel Data Econometrics (PhD), Addis Ababa University, Spring 2014: Linear Static Models, Linear
Dynamic Models, Non-linear Static Models, Dynamic Probit Models.
Econometrics II (PhD), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2013: Panel Data Models (Linear Models,
Linear Dynamic Models, and Non-linear Models).
Applied Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Fall 2012: OLS, IV, Binary Choice, Linear
Panel Data, and Non-Linear Panel Data Models; Course Coordinator..
Panel Data Econometrics (PhD), University of Dar es Salaam, Summer 2012: Linear Static Models,
Linear Dynamic Models, Non-linear Static Models, Dynamic Probit Models.
Panel Data Econometrics (MSc.), Mekelle University, Summer 2012: Linear Static Models, Linear Dynamic Models, Dynamic Probit Models.
Natural Resource Economics (Ph.D.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2012: The Impact of Climate
Change and the Role of Adaptation in Agriculture in Developing countries.
Development Econometrics (PhD.), University of Gothenburg, Autumn 2011: Topics in Poverty and
Income Distribution Analysis, and Non-linear Panel Data Models, and Dynamic Probit Models.
Applied Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Autumn 2011: Topics in IV estimation and
Linear Panel Data Models.
Econometrics II (Ph.D.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2011: Linear Panel Data Models (Lab Instructor for Prof. Måns Söderbom).
Topics in Risk and Technology Adoption in Agriculture: Experience from Developing Countries (MSc.),
Chalmers University of Technology, Spring 2011.
Graduate Econometrics (MSc.), University of Gothenburg, Spring 2010: (Lab Instructor for Prof. Joakim
Westerlund).
Microeconomics (B.A), Curtain University of Technology, Spring 2005: Full Course.
Marketing Research, Intermediate Microeconomics, Principles of Economics (B.A), St. Mary’s University College, 2002-2004: Full Courses
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Intermediate Macroeconomics, and Introduction to Statistics (B.A), Zegha University of College, Autumn 2004-Spring 2006: Full Courses
Development Economics I and II, Intermediate Microeconomics I and II, Principles of Economics,
Ethiopian Economy (B.A), Supervised about a dozen of students writing B.A thesis, Addis Ababa
University, 2002-2006.
Supervision of PhD Students
Sied Hassen (Defending on June 12, 2015), University of Gothenburg, since January 2012 (With Gunnar
Köhlin)
Remidius Ruhinduka (Defending in December, 2015), University of Gothenburg, since January 2012
(With Håkan Eggert)
Invited Seminars and Research Visits
Invited Speaker, Portland State University, Department of Economics Staff Seminar Series, Oregon, USA,
April, 2015.
Visiting Researcher, Columbia University, New York, USA, April 2015.
Invited Speaker, Luleå University of Technology, Economics Research Group Seminar Series, Sweden,
March 2015.
Visiting Researcher, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, November 2014.
Invited Speaker, University of Copenhagen, DERG Seminar Series, Department of Economics, Denmark,
Sept 2014.
Visiting Researcher, University of Reading, United Kingdom, July 2014.
Invited Speaker, University of Concepción, Department of Economics, Concepción, Chile, March 2014.
Invited Speaker, World Bank, Research Department Seminar Series, Washington D.C, USA, Jan. 2014.
Invited Speaker, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Academic Seminar Series, New York, USA, December 2013.
Visiting Scholar, University of California Berkeley, USA, October 2012 - November 2013.
Invited Speaker, Umeå University, Department of Economics Seminar Series, Sweden, November 2013.
Invited Speaker, Resources for the future (RFF), Academic seminars series, USA, March 2013.
Visiting Researcher, The Ohio State University,Department of Economics, USA, March 2013
Invited Speaker, University of California Davis, Development Economics Seminar Series, USA, March
2013.
Invited Speaker, Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February,
2013.
Invited Speaker, University of Nairobi, Department of Economics staff seminar series, Kenya, February,
2013.
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Invited Speaker, University of Montana, Department of Economics staff seminar series, USA, November,
2012.
Invited Speaker, University of Dar es Salaam, Department of Economics staff seminar series, Tanzania,
July, 2012.
Visiting Researcher, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, April-May, 2012.
Invited Speaker, University of Cape Town, School of Economics staff seminar series, South Africa, March
2012.
Invited Speaker, University of Oxford, Department of Economics, CSAE staff seminar series, UK, December 2010.
Visiting Researcher, The United Nations University - World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki, Finland, August-October, 2010.
Visiting Researcher, Paris School of Economics, France, June 2010.
Field Work
November 2014, Mindfullness-Based-Stress-Relief-Program and health health related behaviour project,
Edinburgh, Scotland.
July-August 2013, System of Rice Intensification project, Kilombero District, Tanzania
December, 2008 - June 2009, Ethiopian Urban Socio-economic Survey project, four major urban areas
of Ethiopia
Nov. 2004- May 2005, Participatory Poverty Assessment project, Urban and Western Ethiopia
Fields of Research and Teaching Interest
Development Economics with a particular focus on: the Impact and Consequences of Risk and Shocks,
Theories and Measurements of Vulnerability, Poverty, and Well-being, Technology Adoption; Applied
Econometrics; Household Economics; Climate Economics; and Energy Economics.
Selected Consultancies
Adaptation to Climate Change in Africa, a background paper for African Development Report 2012,
African Development Bank, 2012.
Work Culture and Development in Ethiopia, International Labor Organization (ILO) and CETU, 2006
Participatory poverty assessment, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED), and the
World Bank, 2004
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Competitive Grants, Scholarships and Awards
The Impact of Modern Cooking Stoves and Energy Prices on Charcoal Consumption in Urban Africa:
Evidence from RCT in Tanzania (International Growth Center (IGC), London School of Economics)
$117,000, September 2014.
Social Learning, Gender, and Willingness to Pay for Solar Lanterns (Formas Commons, University of
Gothenburg), with Urpelainen, J, & Eugenie D. $26,000, December 2014.
Partnerprogrammets internationaliseringsstöd 2015 grant for research stay abroad (School of Business,
Economics and Law, University of Gothenburg), $14,000, December 2014.
Do the Poor Overweigh Low Probability Events? (Formas Commons, University of Gothenburg), with
Eggert, H., Kocher, M., and Ruhinduka, R. $28,000, September 2014.
The effects of a Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction programme on health-related behaviors. (Formas
Commons, University of Gothenburg), with Michele Belot $50,000, December 2013.
PhD scholarship from Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) through Department of
Economics, the University of Gothenburg, August 2006 - May 2011.
MSc. Specialization scholarship in Environmental Economics and Policy Analysis by the Center for
Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA), Summer 2003, Pretoria, South Africa.
MSc. Scholarship from the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) through Department of
Economics, Addis Ababa University, September 2002 - June 2004, .
Professional Activities
Reviewer for Journal of Development Economics, World Development, Agricultural Economics, Environment
and Development Economics, Journal of Socio-economics, Social Indicators Research, Ambio, Regional Environmental Change, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation management, The Review of Black
Political Economy and Ethiopian Journal of Economics.
Member European Economic Association, European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists
(EAERE), and Ethiopian Economic Association.
Last updated: May 6, 2015
http://www.economics.gu.se/english/staff