Bio-sketch

EDUCATION

1987 Ph.D. (Economics, GPA=4/4), University of Manitoba, Canada

Thesis: Vector autoregressions for testing causal inference in economic theory. External examiner: Cheng Hsiao

1982 M.A. (Economics), Thammasat University, Thailand

1981 M.Sc. (Statistics), University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

1979 Dip International Trade Centre, Switzerland

1975 B.A. (Honours, 2nd Upper), University of Ceylon

Academic Awards

1984-87 University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship

1984-85 G.W. Dafoe Graduate Fellowship, University of Manitoba, Canada

1980-82 Rockefeller Foundation Graduate Scholarship, Thammasat University, Thailand

1973-75 University of Ceylon Undergraduate Scholarship

EMPLOYMENT

2023 Mar - Research affiliate, Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore.

2017 July - Research Director/then Advisor, Gamani Corea Foundation

2011-2023 Research affiliate, Asia Competitiveness Institute, National University of Singapore.

1988 -2019 Lecturer, …,Visiting Professor; Department of Economics, National University of Singapore.

1988 Economist, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Sri Lanka

1982-1987 Sessional Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Manitoba, Canada

1975-76 Assistant Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Peradeniya; Department of Economics, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka

2010 Visiting Professor, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (April)

2002-03 Visiting Professor, Kyoto University (9 months)

Academic Visitor (1-10 months)

2009-10 Department of Econometrics, Monash University

2005 Department of Economics, Melbourne University

1995 Department of Economics, McMaster University

1995 Asian Business Centre, Melbourne University

1994-95 Department of Econometrics, Monash University

TEACHING

Modules taught

· Econometrics, Time Series Analysis, Singapore Economy (undergrad, Masters/PhD) (In the past: Statistics, Macroeconomics, econometrics (undergraduate, graduate))

Theses supervision

PhD: 11

Masters: 9

Honours: 27

Teaching performance

Above 4 (out of 5) student feedback scores on modules that are deemed very difficult by more than 70% of the students.

SERVICE

Key admin duties at NUS

Department of Economics

· Director, Singapore Centre for Applied and Policy Economics (SCAPE) (2012-2017; Dy Director 2007-2012)

· EXCO member, Dept of Economics, NUS (2012-2017).

· Coordinator of The Straits Times column “Ask NUS economists” (2012-2017).

· Benchmarking committee member, Dept of Economics, 2013/14

· Journal ranking exercise, Dept of Economics, 2012/13

· Deputy Head, Dept. of Economics (May 2001-May 2002, June 2003–June 2007)

· Acting Head, Dept. of Economics (many occasions )

· Director, Coordinator, Econometric Studies Unit, Dept. of Economics (1992 – 2005)

· Director, Econ Graduate Program (June 2003 – July 2006)

· Member, Econ Graduate Program (Aug 2006-2007)

· Chair, member, Department Evaluation Committees (Various occasions)

· Chair, member, Department Search (recruitment) Committee (Various occasions)

· Member, Department Budget Committee (2001/02)

· Member, Department Curriculum Committee (2006 -2008)

· Member, Dept Performance Evaluation and Re-appointment Committee (2006)

· Chair, Department teaching evaluation committee (2007-2008)

Faculty

· Chair, member, Health Cluster Steering Committee (2009-2017)

· Member, Faculty Promotion & Tenure Committee (June 2003 – June 2005).

· Member, Graduate scholarship selection committee, 2004/05

· Interview A/L students, 2005, 2006

· Member, Search Committee, South Asian Studies Program (2007)

· Member, Visiting Research Fellows Selection Committee (2011/12)

University

· Member, tenure review committee for one candidate, Duke-NUS Medical School, 2015

· Research Associate, Asia Competitiveness Institute, NUS, 2011-

· Member, Head Search Committee for Economics, 2005

· Member, organizing committee for NUS-NTU-MIT alliance for Prof Lester Thurow’s Video-conference talk, 2001. Attended by the then Deputy PM.

· Research Affiliate, Institute of Real Estate Studies, NUS, 2009-

Editorial Service: Joint Editor, Singapore Economic Review (1989-1999)

Conference Service:

· Organized SCAPE conferences frequently. Symposium on Social Security with Nobel Laureate Peter Diamond on Jan 12, 2016.

· Organizing and founding member of the Singapore Health Economics Association (Since 2013).

• Organized symposia of five leading East Asian universities.

• Organized a Symposium on health econometrics and quantitative health research, Aug 8, 2011.

· Far Eastern Meeting of the Econometric Society (1999)

Program Committee member and Treasurer, Hosted by the National University of Singapore

· Far Eastern Meeting of the Econometric Society (July 2008)

Organizing Committee member, Hosted by the Singapore

Management University

· Co-Chair, Econometric Forecasting and High Frequency Data Analysis, Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore and School of Economics and Social Sciences, Singapore Management University (Workshops, Seminars, Tutorials, Symposium, April/May 2004)

· Organized Econometric Studies Unit Conferences since 1993

Journal Refereeing: (multiple refereeing)

Applied Economics, Asia Pacific Journal of Finance, Asia Pacific Review of Management, ASEAN Economic Bulletin, China Economic Review, Economic Modelling, Economic Record, Econometric Reviews, Empirical Economics, Energy Economics, Energy Journal, International Economic Journal, International Journal of Forecasting, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Futures Market, Journal of Population Economics, Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, Journal of South East Asian Studies, Journal of International Trade and Economic Development, Journal of Time Series Econometrics, Louvain Economic Review, Pacific Economic Review, Singapore Economic Review, Statistics in Medicine, Urban Studies, Journal of Comparative Economics.

Referee for Grant Applications

Ministry of Health, Singapore; Monetary Authority of Singapore