Anja Tolonen

Anja Tolonen is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she is actively engaged in research and teaching in development economics. Her work spans critical issues in gender, natural resource booms, and public health in low-income countries.

• Assistant Professor of Economics, Barnard College, Columbia University
• Researcher in Development and Gender Economics
• Co-founder, Columbia Women in Economics Network

Her research interests center on two interconnected themes: the socioeconomic impacts of natural resource booms—especially on labor markets, crime, health, and gender—and the economics of gender and household dynamics. This includes intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and access to sanitation for adolescent girls. She employs rigorous empirical methods such as natural experiments, field experiments, and randomized control trials to assess causal relationships in these domains.

The trends in her recent publications reflect a strong focus on gender equality, extractive industries, and menstrual hygiene management. Her work bridges economic theory with real-world policy implications, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Articles like 'Industrial Gold Mining and Female Empowerment' (2024) and studies on menstrual hygiene in Kenya and Tanzania highlight her commitment to improving the lives of women and girls through evidence-based research.

Her scientific awards include the Fulbright Award, prestigious research grants awarded in 2017, and multiple Barnard Faculty Grants and Awards in 2020, 2023, and 2024.

• Fulbright Award
• Prestigious Research Grants (2017)
• Barnard Faculty Grants and Awards (2024)

Anja Tolonen advises on research through her teaching and mentorship in courses such as Empirical Development Economics and a senior seminar on Women in Development Economics. She has secured significant grant funding, including Fulbright and other major awards, supporting her fieldwork and empirical studies. She also plays a leadership role in fostering academic collaboration as the co-founder and organizer of the Columbia Women in Economics Network, which supports junior female faculty through research sharing and skills training.

She is actively involved in research teams and collaborative projects, particularly with the International Growth Centre (IGC), focusing on the impacts of copper mining in Zambia. Her lab or research group operates under interdisciplinary and collaborative frameworks, often involving field experiments and data collection in developing countries.