Aayush Khadka is a third-year PhD candidate in Population Health Sciences with a concentration in Global Health and Population. Khadka is interested in applying analytic tools from economics and epidemiology to study social and environmental determinants of maternal and child health outcomes. His dissertation research focuses on applying econometric methodology to estimate the causal impact of temperature and air pollution on adverse birth outcomes and infant mortality in the United States.

Other substantive interests include issues surrounding financial risk protection and causal inference using observational and administrative data sources. Regarding the former, Khadka is currently working on projects that aim to quantify the global monetary burden of disease. He explores issues surrounding causal inference using observational and administrative data by teaching classes on econometric analyses (e.g., regression discontinuity, instrumental variables, difference-in-differences) and advanced epidemiologic methods (e.g., marginal structural models, causal mediation analysis).

Previously, he has worked on research projects surrounding long-acting, reversible contraceptives in Nepal and cash transfer programs in South Africa.