Professional Bio

Songtao Duan is a first-year Ph.D. student in International Relations and Comparative Politics. Prior to Penn State, he was a consultant and research assistant at the Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington D.C. His research interests center on politics and economics of development, particularly on the nature and impact of foreign aid in fragile and conflict-affected states. Songtao holds a MPA in International Development (MPA/ID) degree from Cornell University, where he was also a graduate fellow at the Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Emerging Market Program. He enjoys outdoor activities in his free time.