Masato Nakajima is a second-year MPP Candidate at HKS. He was accepted into the Growth Lab’s 2024 Summer Internship Program and contributed to our team working with the Azerbaijan Ministry of Economy, focusing on the banking sector.
Why did you apply to be a Growth Lab intern?
I applied to the Growth Lab internship because I believe that it would be an essential cornerstone of my graduate school experience and my interest in international finance and economic policy.
What did you work on this summer?
I worked on researching policy solutions for relatively low private-sector credit in Azerbaijan. My main focus was especially on the high-interest rate margins of the banking sector in the domestic currency market, and I investigated its determinants from the scope of financial dollarization/de-dollarization measures.
In what ways were you challenged?
I had only worked in Japan before going to HKS, and this project was my first exposure to working on an actual project of a foreign country. It was challenging and exciting to learn about a new region and a new project. Since it was my first visit to the country, I made efforts to understand the contexts that were not represented in the data by asking questions to various people. (Sometimes even in Hammams!)
What was your most exciting/surprising experience?
The most exciting experience was working at the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Baku. It was very exciting engaging with the officials at the Central Bank exchanging our ideas. I also personally fell in love with the country’s culture as well, through interaction with the people!
What advice would you give future Growth Lab interns?
If you want to do economic research for your summer, especially in a foreign country, I will definitely recommend Growth Lab!
What’s next for you?
The internship has further increased my interest in international finance and economic policy, and I hope to continue working on these topics after graduating from Harvard Kennedy School.
