Tarikua Erda is a Ph.D. candidate in sustainable development at Columbia University. Her research leverages her interdisciplinary Ph.D. training in economics and in environmental sciences to understand how various phenomena—from natural disasters to implicit bias—shape business dynamics, human capital, and ultimately the pace and inclusivity of economic growth. Her main dissertation project investigates the impact of disasters on businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers, and the role of federal assistance in post-disaster recovery. Erda holds a B.A. degree in economics from Princeton University.