A Global Perspective

By: Maisie O'Brien

Growing up in a small town in Northwest China, Zhen Dong, AG25, was preoccupied with big questions. He was curious about life outside his rural village of 2,000 people where farmers grow potatoes, apples, and tomatoes, and part of his school day consisted of picking crops. He wanted to experience the wider world and understand the systems shaping it.

“Ever since I was a child, my parents and neighbors encouraged me to leave home to find a better life,” he says. “I wanted to understand the structures underlying their encouragement. I wanted to know why some areas are poor and others are affluent; why we have inequality and what can be done to reduce it; and why many people need to leave their hometowns in order to achieve a better quality of life.”

These questions led him to study economics at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in China and pursue an MS in Economics at Tufts. He chose Tufts because of its international reputation and small class size.

“It’s a small cohort so we have a really close relationship with our professors,” he says. “The faculty are so knowledgeable, supportive, and willing to talk through problems and discuss ideas. My classes have been wonderful.”

Dong focused on macroeconomics, analyzing the structure, performance, and behavior of the entire economy with an emphasis on labor and development. He particularly loved his Quantitative Economic Growth course taught by Professor of Economics Yannis Ioannides, which explores how statistical models can be used to understand and predict economic growth.

“Our coursework  was very challenging,” Dong says. “My classmates and I bonded over learning the material and grew close as a group. We came to Tufts from so many different countries and backgrounds. Our diverse perspectives, interests, and skills made our classroom discussions very interesting.”

Dong’s research interests were initially large-scale and sweeping. He wanted to examine how to reduce inequality, a topic his professors suggested would be difficult to study because it is so broad. With their guidance and encouragement, he narrowed the focus of his research.

His thesis entitled “Temporary and Permanent Layoffs Under Financial and Monetary Policy Shocks” received the 2025 Linda Datcher Loury Prize, awarded to the department’s best master’s thesis. In it, Dong examines the impact of financial and monetary policy shocks on companies’ temporary and permanent layoffs.

Dong’s other major paper entitled “The Vanished Income Bimodality” explores how global income distribution has shifted since World War II. “Both projects focus on small questions, but they’ve helped me to understand the big picture of how economies and societies work,” he says.

During his time at Tufts, Dong worked as a teaching assistant, supporting undergraduate students in the Principles of Economics course. “I am so grateful to have had this opportunity,” he says. “I learned so much about how to structure a class, teach complex topics, and connect with students.”

Dong is currently applying to research positions and plans to pursue a PhD with the goal of working as a researcher and professor. He hopes to focus on labor and development economics, exploring topics like unemployment and ways developing countries can increase their wealth.

“My experiences at Tufts have shaped me a lot,” he reflects. “Coming from a small village, I’ve appreciated the opportunity to explore large societal issues and learn from such wonderful professors. Seeing how they teach and how they’re so committed to supporting students has informed the kind of educator I hope to become.”