MWPI Non-Resident Fellows

Asmaa Yaseen

Asmaa is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Midwest Policy Institute. Her area of expertise is Labor and Environmental Economics and Applied Microeconomics. In particular, she has specialized knowledge of data analysis econometric software packages Stata and SAS. Her previous work experience includes positions at Oil Marketing Company (SOMO)-Iraq Ministry of Oil. Asmaa worked as Iraq Oil Data and Information Coordinator with internal oil organizations such as OPEC, OAPEC, and JODI.

Asmaa completed her MSc in Economics at the University of Kansas and MSc in International Economics at the University of Baghdad. She is fluent in Arabic and English.

Ryan Beasley

Ryan is a Senior Lecturer at the University of St. Andrews, specializing in Foreign Policy Theory and Political Psychology. His research focuses on dissonance, perceptual legitimacy, group decision-making, coalition cabinets, and role theory. He has published work in International Studies Quarterly, Journal of Conflict Resolution, European Journal of International Relations, Political Psychology, Foreign Policy Analysis, European Political Science, and Journal of European Public Policy. He is the co-editor of Foreign Policy in Comparative Perspective (CQ Press). He has held positions at Baker University, as well as The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and the Small Arms Survey in Geneva, Switzerland.

Jessica Dutra

Jessica is a Microeconomist who specializes in Pricing, Mergers & Acquisitions and Antitrust Policy. She has an unusual international background, having lived in five different continents, which puts her on an excellent position to work in cross-country strategy and analyses. She always strives to bridge the gap between Theory and Practice; having excellent performance both in Industry and Academia. Her previous work experience includes Senior Pricing Analyst and Mergers’ Analyst at Ultragaz, the largest LPG distributor in Brazil, with 46 percent market share.

She completed her MSc Economics at The University of Kansas (KU) in the U.S., and has a BSc in Economics from Ibmec - Instituto Brasileiro de Mercados de de Capitais (Brazilian Institute of Capital Markets) in Brazil and a BA European Management from the Université de Strasbourg (EM Strasbourg) in France. She is fluent in English, Portuguese and proficient in French and Spanish. She is the Manager of Professional Development at Golden Key International Honour Society University of Kansas chapter, the author of the book “Confessions of an Economist’s Heart” and writer of the blog Dutraeconomicus.

She is a current PhD Candidate in Economics at the University of Kansas (KU). Her dissertation evaluates the current state of antitrust/competition policy by estimating potential cross-market anti-competitive effects of mergers; identifying the impact of common ownership within American health care industry; as well as deriving and simulating the impact of gained merger efficiencies on post-merger prices. Her current research interests are in M&A, Antitrust, Pricing Strategy, Energy Markets and Industrial Organization.

Laura Southgate

Laura is a Lecturer in International Security at Cranfield University. Laura has a BA Hons Law and Politics, and an MA International Relations and Security from the University of Liverpool. Her PhD is in the International Relations of Asia, from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Laura’s research focuses on regional intervention and state resistance to sovereignty violation, with a specific focus on the ability of regional organisations to resist sovereignty violations from external powers. Her research has been published in International Politics, Intelligence and National Security, and the Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs. Since completing her PhD in 2015, Laura has been employed as a Senior Lecturer in Defence and International Affairs at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and as Lecturer at Cranfield University, where she teaches Regional Security at MSc level, and the Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context course. Laura is also a regular contributor for the political risk consultancy firm Global Risk Insights, where she provides analysis on areas of political opportunity and risk in Southeast Asia, and the economic impact for investors, corporations and individuals.

Ryan Gibb

Ryan is an Assistant Professor at Baker University. He teach International Studies courses as well as political science courses.

Ryan earned his B.A. and his M.A. from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has conducted field research in East Africa. His dissertation concerns land rights in Uganda and the dynamic political/economic systems that gave way to land rights reform. Ryan completed his PhD at the University of Kansas in 2013, and continues to research and write about land reform.