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“I decided to study poverty and inequality because of the thousands of people who starve everyday and live in abject circumstances. Although this is just one dimension of poverty. I want to explore how an economist can help alleviate these problems. One of the best things that ever happened to me is my decision to work at The University of the West Indies. I thought about going into the private sector, but decided to follow my heart and begin my career as a researcher. While there has been no female Nobel Prize winner in the field of economics (and I may not be the first!) I would like to continue to undertake research that builds and uplifts life in our region.”

Dr. Sandra Sookram

FELLOW
SIR ARTHUR LEWIS INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STUDIES (SALISES)
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Tel: (868) 662-2002 ext 2534 • Email: Sandra.Sookram@sta.uwi.edu

PROFILE

Dr. Sandra Sookram’s drive to research poverty and inequality has nothing to do with awards. Still, her commitment to excellence earned her a UWI Development and Endowment Fund Bursary (1995-1996) for academic performance at University Examinations. Since then her critical and vital work has attracted both regional and international support. This includes the Dean’s Award for Postgraduate Research (2001-2003), a British Commonwealth Scholarship (2003), UWI Postgraduate Scholarship for six months (2004), an IODE Commonwealth Relations Research Fellowship (2004-2005) and, most recently, a British Academy Fellowship (2008-2009) to follow her passion for research that makes a difference.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Sookram’s primary fields of interests are measuring poverty and inequality, the economics of crime, investigating the informal economy, examining gender inequality and trade liberalization and its impact on developing countries.