Katy Bergstrom

Having completed her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics, Politics, and Philosophy at the University of Canterbury, Katy worked as an intern at Motu for the summer of 2010-2011. She was recently appointed as Economist in the World Bank in Washington DC.

Katy was an intern for Arthur Grimes and Steven Stillman, working on a homeownership programme with Arthur Grimes and Steve Stillman. She investigated what determines spatial changes in state housing density.

Katy enjoyed the friendly, social atmosphere at Motu and gained important research skills that will be very useful for her future studies. She found her co-workers extremely helpful, and enjoyed working with some of the top economists in New Zealand.

She says, “Fascinated by the work being conducted at Motu, I then decided I wanted to pursue a PhD and eventually go into a research position. Later, I worked at the Reserve Bank on economic modelling and writing a paper investigating how we can incorporate forward guidance into our statistical forecasting models to improve their forecasting performance.”

“During nearly six years at Stanford, my research has focused on the optimal design of anti-poverty programmes in developing economies. This is an area of research that I believe is particularly important given the high levels of poverty and inequality in many developing countries today. While graduate school is undoubtedly a lot of work, I loved being at Stanford, surrounded by some of the brightest minds in the world. Moreover, I met my fiancé, who is also graduating with a PhD in economics.

“My job at the World Bank is predominantly a research role, so I hope to continue my research on optimal redistribution in developing countries. Eventually I hope to put my research into action and help with the design and set-up of anti-poverty programs funded by the World Bank.”