Yunxiao Han is a second year MPA/ID student at Harvard Kennedy School. He was accepted into the Growth Lab's 2023 Summer Internship Program and contributed to the Pathways to Prosperity project, which touches upon the numerous challenges and opportunities facing Wyoming and western states.
Why did you apply to the Growth Lab Summer Internship?
I applied to the Growth Lab Summer Internship for several reasons. First, I have always been interested in economic development in less-advanced areas. I had several years of experience in poverty alleviation before entering the MPA/ID program. After working on poverty reduction in Asia, I became more curious about what people could do for economic development in an industrialized country like the United States. Therefore, I applied to the Wyoming project to better understand poverty and economic issues in an advanced country’s context. Second, I knew that the Growth Lab offers great skills training, including data collection, report drafting, R coding, etc. I wanted to improve my abilities by attending the program. What’s more, I thought it was a good opportunity to add to my experiences by traveling to a place that I had not been to before and researching the socioeconomic situations there.
What did you work on?
I worked on the housing problem in Wyoming. Due to some political and administrative constraints, development of new housing is limited. Since the cities could not grow up or grow out, Wyoming also lacked enough housing for workers and labor. This shortage only worsened during Covid, driving up housing prices. I was working on how to solve this problem and proposed policy recommendations to local authorities.
In what ways were you challenged?
I was challenged in various ways. First, I struggle with data processing, and my R coding skills needed improving. Second, I had not been to Wyoming before and needed time to get to know the people and the surroundings. Lastly, my research involved studying foreign housing policy patterns, including Japanese and French policies. Therefore, I needed to read some Japanese and French papers and materials, which were new languages to me.
What was your most exciting/surprising experience?
My most surprising experience was watching a rodeo show on the night I arrived in Casper. It was fascinating, and I think nearly half of the people in the town were there. It was a new and interesting experience for me, and I got to know the different events that make up a rodeo. The riders were excellent and performed well on the horses. I think it is a typical mid-western American event and could represent the western spirit of the United States. I would recommend going to a rodeo to whoever travels to Wyoming. You will not be disappointed.
What advice would you give to future interns?
First of all, I would say enjoy yourself. You needn’t worry too much about your abilities or your work. With the instruction of senior researchers, you will be fine. Just enjoy yourself and dive deep into your research topics. Second, it’s a fun journey but, do plan ahead. You will need to be prepared to experience a lot. Third, I think it is important for you to improve your skillset during the internship. You will have a lot of opportunities to learn. Moreover, please be aware that you need to be ready to work in a new environment and do some preparation work for it. I experienced beautiful scenery, delicious food, etc., but also deepened my understanding of economic development and housing market in Wyoming. From every perspective, I could say it was a great internship.
What’s next for you?
I will return to my MPA/ID program to finish my second year of study. I will further develop my knowledge and skills needed for economic research. I aim to work for a multilateral development bank or continue research on economic issues.