Dr. Sayahnika Basu is an Assistant Professor of Economics at James Madison University. As an applied microeconomist working at the intersection of environmental and development economics, her research examines how climate change, environmental degradation, and mineral extraction impact vulnerable populations. Her work focuses on translating these socioeconomic impacts into policy-relevant outcomes, particularly within developing economies. Dr. Basu earned her Ph.D. in Economics from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UC San Diego, where she is currently an external faculty affiliate of the 21st Century India Center. Dedicated to supporting early-career academics, she co-organizes the Virtual Seminar on the Indian Economy for junior scholars at UC San Diego’s 21st Century India Center.