Haslam College of Business - Job Market Candidates 2026-2027

Fifth year
Fields of Interest: economic forecasting, international trade


Halima Begum worked as a central banker, and her experience in banking motivated her to pursue a Ph.D. in economics. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in statistics, as well as an MBA in finance.

Fourth year
Fields of Interest: behavioral economics, political economics

Fernanda Carriedo-Fagan is a Ph.D. student in economics at the University of Tennessee, driven by her deep passion for the subject. Her academic journey started at Salisbury University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in economics, accompanied by a minor in mathematics. Fernanda’s love for economics was ignited during her first undergraduate class in microeconomics, leaving a mark on her academic path. She aspires to conduct meaningful research that can positively impact her community and her homeland, Mexico. 

Fifth year
Fields of Interest: Public Finance, Health Economics, Behavioral and Experimental Economics

Kaden Grace is an Economics PhD candidate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research uses tools from applied microeconomics, causal inference, and experiments to answer questions about public finance and health economics. Kaden earned a BS in Economics and a BA in Mathematics from the University of Mississippi and an MA in Economics from the University of Tennessee. Kaden serves as the Student Representative on the Campus Advisory Board at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Since 2023, he has served as Chairperson of the Haslam Doctoral Student Association. Outside the office, Kaden spends a lot of time underwater as a scuba instructor. Kaden will graduate in May 2027.

Fifth year
Fields of Interest: industrial organization, energy economics, environmental economics

Prior to studying at the University of Tennessee, Connor Neff earned a B.A. in economics and statistics from the University of Florida. He also has professional experience in data analyst roles in the insurance, finance and consumer packaged goods industries.

Outside of economics, Connor enjoys spending time outside. He’s a passionate rock climber who has spent time guiding in the Southeast and climbing around the world. He also enjoys live music, great food and traveling.

Fifth year
Fields of Interests: environmental economics, education economics and labor economics

Xin Jin is an applied microeconomist. Her research lies at the intersection of education, environment and labor economics. Jin’s current work focuses on how environmental shocks and education policies shape students’ academic and social outcomes.

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