Dana J. Smith
PhD Candidate in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. My research interests lie at the intersection of labor and development economics. I focus primarily on the economics of immigration and labor migration, with particular attention to the determinants of migration, the impact of policy in immigrants and immigration decisions, agricultural workers, and the role of migration in connecting cross-border and broader international communities.
I enjoy teaching and have served as a teaching assistant for a number of popular undergraduate classes in Dyson. In 2021, I was awarded the Dyson Graduate Teaching Assistant Outstanding Service Award. I also volunteer as an English tutor for the Cornell Farmworkers Program. Additionally, I serve on the executive board of Diversity in Cornell Economics and chair the Graduate Students for Gender Equity in Economics committee.
I arrived at Cornell in 2018, following my graduation from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. At Lafayette, I had a dual major in Math & Economics and International Affairs. I minored in Spanish and played four years of Division 1 women’s lacrosse. During my time at Lafayette, I helped lead our campus chapter of Athlete Ally and interned in Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman’s district office. I also volunteered as a coach for the Trenton Bridge Lacrosse Program, meeting weekly with elementary and middle school aged girls from the Trenton Metropolitan area to practice skills, develop confidence, and work together as a team. .
When I’m not working I enjoy skiing, running, and exploring all the natural wonders Central New York has to offer.