The Paul Douglas Institute

Arushi Bansal is a fourth year at UChicago majoring in Political Science and Economics. She joined PDI in the fall of 2021, researching on environment-centered projects and working in the Media Committee. Last year, Arushi served on the Board as VP of Research, expanding the organizations PDI partners with and streamlining our research timeline to create more meaningful and substantive experiences for both our researchers and partners. Outside of PDI, Arushi has worked with numerous public service organizations, from the Office of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) to the White House Liaison Office at the Department of Labor. In addition, she works closely with UChicago’s Institute of Politics to build alumni and community partnerships. Originally from San Jose, California, she loves going to the beach and exploring local cafes in her free time.

Jason is a fourth year from Florida majoring in Mathematics with Specialization in Economics and Economics. He joined PDI in the fall of 2020, and he has worked on and led many projects. Jason served as Co Vice President of Research as a third year, where he helped supervise the research projects. As Co President, Jason hopes to ensure PDI continues growing and engaging in interesting, impactful work. During the summer, he has worked in data analytics, data science, and economic consulting. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and following sports.

Ben is a third-year at UChicago studying Economics and Public Policy. Ben joined PDI in fall of 2021 as a researcher and has worked on projects projects investigating homelessness and data science education. Outside of PDI Ben is involved at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics where he has interned for the past two years. He has also held internships with Save the Children Action Network and Seven Letter. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, in his free time, Ben enjoys exploring nature and watching Kentucky Basketball.

Suzanne is a third year from Rochester, NY double majoring in Public Policy and Business Economics. She joined PDI her first year and has served as a member of the Recruitment & Community Cohesion Committee and as a Project Lead during her second year. She helped manage a project researching the effects of Truth-In-Sentencing laws under a partnership with Restore Justice. Outside of PDI, she is part of the UChicago Socially Responsible Investing Group and also delivers educational sessions on voting rights at the Cook County Jail through the IOP Bridge Program. In her free time, she likes to spend time outdoors, cook vegan cuisine, and explore cities.

Zara is a third year from New York City double-majoring in Public Policy Studies and Sociology. She joined PDI in the fall of 2021, where she researched Illinois housing policy. In 2022-2023, she led a project focused on incorporating data science into K-12 curricula. As Co-VP of Research, she’s excited to work with our project leads and partner organizations to produce thoughtful and innovative public policy solutions. Outside of PDI, she has worked as a research assistant at the American Bar Foundation and on several political campaigns. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, baking, reading, and performing standup comedy with Life of the Mic.

Arjun Mazumdar is a third year student majoring in Economics and Law, Letters and Society. Arjun became a part of PDI in 2021, diving deep into media and technology related policy projects. As the Co-VP of Research, Arjun is passionate about harnessing data-driven insights to shape impactful policies, and equipping students with valuable research experience. Outside of PDI, Arjun is involved with the Chicago Maroon, as a senior news reporter and internal business consultant. Arjun has previously interned at Microsoft Research, where he analyzed the evolving news media ecosystem, and Fox Corporation, on the Advertising Sales and Analytics team. In his free time, Arjun enjoys discovering new music, biking, and watching weird movies.

Abby is a third year student majoring in economics and public policy. She joined the PDI community in the fall of 2021, and her first project focused on commercial corridors in Chicago and other cities in the United States. Abby is excited to continue her role as the Co-Vice President of Recruitment and Community Cohesion to further the community efforts of PDI. Beyond the PDI world, Abby is actively involved with Pareto Solutions and the Phoenix Development Fund. She is also a big fan of reality TV shows (Big Brother is her favorite), raving about how much she loves shrimp, and checking out the hidden gems of Chicago.

Micayla is a third year studying public policy with a passion for education equity and evidence-based social change. She joined PDI in 2022 on a team researching the implementation of data science education in K-12 schools. She also leads community engagement initiatives for the IOP W+ and UChicago Hillel and is excited to build a strong cohort of PDI students dedicated to exploring how policy can positively impact people. In her free time, Micayla loves riding the CTA and Metra to explore new food spots and parks around Chicago.

Stella is a third year data science major from California interested in the intersection of technology and policy. She joined PDI her first year and has been working on the Global Student Policy Alliance project that aims to bring advocacy groups from other universities together. As the co-VP of Finance & Operations, Stella is responsible for planning PDI’s budget, coordinating logistics, and making sure events run smoothly. Outside of PDI, Stella is also involved in compileHER where she teaches middle school girls coding, Women in Business, and Promontory Investment Research. In her free time, she enjoys reading science fictions(all time favorites are Ted Chiang and Greg Egan, though Asimov is truly the best), playing the flute at UChicago Pep Band, and cooking!