Zhizhen Lu is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Government and is the Project Team leader for Sweetheart Tax Deals.  Zhizhen studies the regulatory politics of strategic interactions between states and multinational corporations in the context of business compliance with economic sanction. Prior to his academic career, he worked at China Policy in Beijing as the lead macroeconomic analyst. He also has professional experiences at the European Union Delegation to China, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, and the World Resource Institute. Zhizhen holds an M.A. in International Trade and Investment Policy from the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University.

Jawad is a sophomore economics major at the University of Texas at Austin currently in his first year as a member of the Sweetheart Tax Deals team. He is currently working as a peer mentor for the Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE) program, volunteers for the Refugee Student Mentor Program, and is a general member of the Texas Economics Association. He is interested in research involving finances, transparency, and the government.

Meghan Nigudkar is from Denver, CO. She is a sophomore double majoring in Corporate Finance and Economics. She can talk about anything from skiing to her favorite coffee shops in Austin. She is involved with a couple organizations on campus and loves to do volunteer work! Most importantly, she have a passion for research, learning new topics, and collaborating with her team!

Melissa Ionson is a first-year Public Affairs Masters student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. She is looking forward to bringing an international perspective from Canada. With an undergraduate degree in Community and Criminal Justice and work experience within the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario, she is poised to specialize in National Security and Immigration. Melissa is deeply passionate about public service and is committed to leveraging her diverse academic background to make a meaningful impact in these crucial fields. She hopes to provide fresh insights and innovative solutions for effective policymaking and data collection.

Orlando Di Leo is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin pursing a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in finance. His fields of interest are energy, monetary, and public economics. His research experience includes studying the effects of the clean energy transition and carbon cap-and-trade programs on unemployment in the United States. He has served as an intern for the Texas Comptroller’s Office in the Data Analysis & Transparency division, where he collaborated on financial transparency initiatives and economic incentives offered by the Texas government. After graduation, he plans to continue his studies by pursing a Master of Arts in Economics.

Miles Hammond is a current undergraduate studying economics and international relations within the Liberal Arts Honors Program. Apart from research he serves as the treasurer in the International Relations and Global Studies Council and is a part of TexasVotes. His professional interests include monetary policy and economic development. He is undecided on his postgraduate plans, but in the meantime he enjoys going to different parks in Austin, playing intramural soccer, and shooting photos on film.

Susana Ponce is a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Government. She has a special interest in exploring the impact of different public policy approaches, and is excited about the opportunity to focus on Sweetheart Tax Deals. She is eager to assist and collaborate as part of a research team at The Innovation for Peace and Development!