Bibek Adhikari has joined the Department of Economics as an assistant professor. He earned a Ph.D in economics at Tulane University, where his dissertation focused on the economic and behavioral effects of broad-based and flatter-rate tax systems. He also holds a B.A. in economics and mathematics from Coe College.

Adhikari earned doctoral dissertation grants from the National Science Foundation and Horowitz Foundation. His research interest lies in the field of public economics and development economics.

Adhikari’s current work focuses on the economic effects of broad-based and flat-rate tax reforms, the impact of a value-added tax on firms’ productivity, investment, and avoidance behavior, as well as taxpayer responses to the introduction of Form 1099-K, a novel third-party income reporting law. His most recent publication, titled “Evaluating the Economic Effects of Flat Tax Reforms Using Synthetic Control Methods,” appeared in the Southern Economic Journal (2016).

He has presented at numerous seminars and conferences across the country and has even won several travel awards. Adhikari has also received various research grants and scholarships including the 2017 Irving Fisher Award from Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honors society for economics.