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A double major in international affairs and economics & business, Shreedhar Sasikumar ’05 (Kerala, India) recently presented independent research at a national conference on corruption and other possible causes of economic growth or economic degradation in a region of Africa.
“I have learned that the solutions to problems such as poverty and development have no clear-cut, obvious answers and must be addressed through coordinated efforts of the entire global community, since it is a problem that we all face,” he says.
He presented his findings at the 18th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), hosted April 15-17 Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. The conference showcased the work of nearly 2,000 undergraduate students.
Sasikumar’s research explores the role of institutional factors in sub-Saharan Africa’s economic growth. Since 1960, this area has experienced negative economic growth, and has survived on a per capita income of less than $500. Sasikumar is researching governmental quality, corruption, and law enforcement as well as ethnic tension in three groups — African, middle-income, and high-income nations.
“It has been a great experience to be involved in this research,” he says. “I looked forward to an opportunity to have the results evaluated by a section of the academic community.”
Sasikumar wrote a paper that investigates reasons for African poverty despite the foreign aid and developmental work done in the area. This topic originated from a class project that Sasikumar says he “took a little too far.”
“This paper suggests that perhaps the main factors that explain this lack of economic growth lie not in lack of conventional economic factors such as capital, but rather in lack of stable institutions such as democracy, rule of law, and property rights, which allow a stable framework and promote incentives to communities to carry out productive work within the system, and thereby alleviate poverty,” he explains.
Sasikumar’s mentor, Ed Gamber, associate professor of economics and business, first suggested that he further explore African development and economic growth. Although Sasikumar was completely responsible for conducting the research, he turned to Gamber for guidance.
“Shreedhar and I discussed the project several times over the past semester,” Gamber says. “But the work is totally his own.”
Sasikumar says that Gamber has been a mentor to him over his past three years at Lafayette.
“Professor Gamber is extremely helpful in helping me obtain data and in suggesting directions that I might take in my research,” he says. “He has always encouraged me to think beyond the subject material in class.”
Gamber says that Sasikumar finds his motivation from his desire to learn, which he helped attain both in and out of the classroom by attending Lafayette.
“As Shree has demonstrated, the academic opportunities at Lafayette go well beyond the classroom,” he says. “Faculty are easily accessible and willing to guide students in research interests, even when those interests are beyond coursework.”
Sasikumar previously took part in two research projects through Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, in which students assist faculty with research while earning a stipend. EXCEL has helped make the college a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the more than 160 students who participate each year share their research through academic journal articles and/or conference presentations. Sasikumar worked with David Stifel, assistant professor of economics and business, to investigate the possible link between isolation and poverty, and partnered with Susan Averett on a separate project.
He is a writing associate in the College Writing program and a peer tutor in the economics department. He is also a member of Lafayette’s Fed Challenge Team, the International Students Association, and the Cricket Club. He hopes to attend graduate school to pursue a doctorate in development economics. Although he has not decided on a future career, he says that teaching and working for an organization to further development in third-world countries are options.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Forty-two students were accepted to present their work at the annual conference this month.
A National Leader in Undergraduate Research. Shreedhar Sasikumar ’05 presented research on economic growth in Africa with guidance by Ed Gamber, associate professor of economics and business, at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research.