18th Annual Himalayan Policy Research Conference 

Dec. 2nd & 3rd, 2023 (U.S.A Moutain Time)

Zoom: Register

Tentative Schedule

December 2, 2023:

Welcome Remarks: Dr. Sakib Mahmud 6:00-6:10am MST 

Keynote Speaker 

6:10-7:00am MST

Climate Change Adaptation

Pradeep Kurukulasuriya

(Executive Coordinator and Director, Environmental Finance for Nature, Climate and Energy, at UNDP)

Paper Session 1: Gender

 7:00-8:00am MST

Moderator: Dr. Niraj Khatiwada 

• Palmo Dawa Tamang, "Role of Male Family Members in Promoting Women's Leadership in Local Government in Nepal"

• Binda Ghimire, "Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students regarding the Sexual and Reproductive Health at Bir Hospital Nursing Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal" 

BREAK 8:00-8:05am MST

Paper Session 2: Mental Health

8:05-9:20am MST

Moderator: Dr. Samrat Kunwar 

• Ranita Ghosh, Madhumita Mohanty, "Impact of Family System on Burnout Syndrome among Medical Professionals in India: Serial mediation of Psychological Capital and Perceived Organizational Support"

• Brijesh C. Purohit, "An Exploratory Study of Mental health and its care in India"

• Aaditi Kumbhar, "Association of Discrimination Exposure and Depression within the Depression within the Asian Community in the United States"

• Nikhil N. Ganvir, Alok Bohara, Richard Santos, "Hypergamy, Domestic Violence, and Health Injuries: Evidence from India"

BREAK 9:20-9:25am MST

Paper Session 3: Environment

9:25-10:55am MST

Moderator: Dr. Mohammad Mashiur Rahman

• Abhishek Raj Bajracharya, "Inclusive water management and disaster resilience"

• Aroni Kabita Porna and Sajal Lahiri, "Tariff or Foreign Aid for Pollution-Abatement R&D Investments: Carrots vis-a-vis Sticks Policies to Deal with Cross-Border Pollution"

• Ambika P. Adhikari, Keshav Bhattarai, Krishna P. Acharya, "Promoting Urban Forestry in Nepali Cities"

• Md Atiqur Rahman, Samsun Naher, "The Impact of Natural Disasters on Child Health and Investments in Bangladesh"

• Prabin Bhusal, "A Global Review of Factors Describing People’s Participation in Community Based Forest Management: A Vote Count Meta-Analysis"

BREAK 10:55-11:00am MST

Book talk: 

11:00am-12:00pm MST

Geopolitics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Past, Present, and Future

Keshav Bhattarai (Professor at University of Central Missouri)

Moderator: Dr. Alok Bohara

December 3, 2023:

Welcome Remarks: Dr. Alok Bohara 6:00-6:10am MST

Paper Session 4: Education

6:10-7:25am MST

Moderator: Dr. Siobhan Yilmaz 

• Jamuna Siwakoti, "Professionals ‘Views on Rape: A study From Nepal"

• Dil Kumari Karki, "School Teachers' Awareness and Capability Enhancement Approaches Regarding Disaster Management in Kathmandu Nepal"

• Stephen Owusu, Kira Villa, "Evaluating Education Policy: A Four-Year High School System in Ghana"

BREAK 7:25-7:30am MST

Session 5: Macroeconomics

7:30-8:45am MST

Moderator: Dr. Prakash Adhikari

• Bhojraj Neupane, "The impact of government expenditure on economic growth of Nepal" 

• A.M. Muhib Morshed Ami, A.K.M. Mahbub Morshed, "Growth Effects of External Debt Default in Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs)"

• Thaman Bastola, "Landlockedness, Regional Trade Agreement, and International Trade"

BREAK 8:45-8:50am MST

Session 6: Health

8:50-9:50am MST

Moderator: Dr. Aakrit Joshi 

• Umesh Ghimire, "The Heterogeneous Impact of Health on Wealth: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study" 

• Anukram Adhikary, Rajan Parajuli, Erin Sills, "Community Forestry during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case from the Mid hills of Nepal" 

• Mengqi (Mandy) Liu, Alok Bohara, "Like Mother Like Daughter? Behavioral and Economic Factors to Determine HPV Vaccination for Mothers and Daughters: Evidence in Nepal"

Break 9:50-10:00

Book talk 

10:00-11:00am MST

The Vortex: A True Story of History's Deadliest Storm, an Unspeakable War, and Liberation

Jason Miklian (Senior Researcher, University of Oslo)  & Scott Carney 

Moderators: Dr. Sakib Mahmud, Dr. Prakash Adhikari, and Dr. Phil Hultquist

Closing Remarks and Optional Meet and Greet: Dr. Samrat Kunwar 11:00-11:30am MST