I am an Economics & Politics undergraduate student interested in the effect of economic growth on the environment and in the widening gap of inequality. As nations pursue their self-interests, most neglect to balance between economic growth and environmental sustainability. My desire to take part in solving this imbalance which is becoming more problematic has led me to choose this research topic. Numerous development indices have been developed over the years. I intend to contribute to the understanding of the Sustainability Development Index (SDI) and how well it correlates with other measures of economic performance such as GDP growth and inequality.
My research question is: “What is the relationship between the Sustainable Development Index and other measures of economic performance such as GDP growth and inequality?” The objective of the research is to develop a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the newly proposed Sustainable Development Index and analyse its relationship with other measures of economic performance. The outcome of the research will be new knowledge of the synergies and trade-offs between desirable economic growth and environmental protection. Furthermore, we will establish relationships between sustainable development as measured by the SDI and potential goals of economic policy such as income inequality and economic growth. The research findings will be publicised in an article in a suitable outlet and submitted for presentation at the British Conference of Undergraduate Research. Through my research, I will be developing econometric techniques, data analysis, and research skills which will help me in future research in my field.
I believe the pandemic won’t affect my research work as it is computer based and I will be using secondary data from reliable resources, such as quantitative data from the World Bank, https://goodlife.leeds.ac.uk/ ,https://data.un.org/ ,http://materialflows.net/ ,and the EORA multi-region input-output database (https://worldmrio.com). I will have a minimum of two online meetings per week with my research mentor.
To ensure my project is successful and completed within the 5 to 6 weeks duration, I have developed a research plan with my mentor. The first two weeks, I will be doing a literature review and collecting the data required for analysis. Week 3 and 4, I will be working with my mentor to learn the data analysis and statistical tools and techniques necessary for the research. The final week or two, I will be preparing the research report. I believe the research will be successful because it builds on existing research, I have plans for training and my mentor is experienced in teaching research methods.
For the leadership in action experience in the second summer, I would prefer the charity expedition in a developing country. I am very interested in social work and plan to lead a charity organization in the future as I am concerned about poverty in our world. The experience I get from the charity expedition will be useful to prepare me for this and provide me with insights into the leadership skills required for research.
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