University of Louisiana Monroe Assistant Professor of Economics Ahmad Reshad Osmani, Ph.D., of the College of Business and Social Sciences, was recently awarded the 2022 ASHEcon Diversity scholarship which is aimed at underrepresented minorities and/or individuals whose background or life circumstances indicate they have overcome substantial obstacles.
The scholarship will allow Dr. Osmani to attend the annual ASHEcon conference, where he will have the opportunity to network with other recipients and with members of the ASHEcon Board and Diversity Committee.
In the past, this scholarship has gone to recipients from other universities including Cornell and Stanford.
Osmani is the perfect candidate for such a prestigious scholarship as his academic trainings in economics have vastly benefited from his diverse and rich international education background. He earned his Ph.D. and MA degrees in economics as aJ. William Fulbright scholar from the University of Memphis.
In his professional work, Osmani has analyzed the effects of cancer on labor market outcomes, studied the impact of race and ethnicity on job market outcomes of cancer survivors, and examined the influence of supply-side financing on health care use and quality in developing countries.
He attributes his passion for diversity-driven opportunities to these experiences, stating, “My graduate studies in different parts of the world have motivated me to understand the breadth of health problems globally and the inadequacy of specific policy directions and available resources to tackle some of these challenges.”
When talking about the importance of this opportunity, Osmani said, “I strongly believe that attending the ASHEcon conference will expose me to a group of eminent health economists. This opportunity enhances my professional and personal development in many ways.”