In this episode of Open Rivers Navigator, Ali Joglekar opens up about how the people around her influenced her path to economics, how small decisions have had big impacts, the importance of diversity for innovation and how STEM skills apply to her whole life.

Read the episode transcript.

Meet the guest

Ali is a Research Associate with the GEMS Informatics Initiative and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Economics, both at the University of Minnesota. After finishing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Montana State University, she moved to the Twin Cities and completed a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota. Ali’s research focuses on the spatially-explicit characterization of farming and its implications on agricultural productivity throughout the developing and developed world. Her work involves creating, enhancing and maintaining spatial bio-economic models and datasets and undertaking research to inform practical and policy decisions of governments, food and agribusiness interests, and others. In her spare time, Ali enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and two dogs, as well as dragon boating with the St. Paul Dragon Divas.

Connect with Ali on LinkedIn.