Xinyuan Cao

Xinyuan Cao is a master’s student in the International and Development Economics (IDE) program at Yale University. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Renmin University of China, where she also completed a minor in Computer Science and participated in a dual-degree program in Fintech. As part of her academic training, she joined an exchange program at the University of California, Davis, where she deepened her interest in development economics and quantitative research.
Xinyuan’s research interests lie at the intersection of quantitative methods, development policy, and welfare economics. She has co-authored peer-reviewed papers on prosumer behavior and industrial transformation, and her past research projects include work on regional disparities, oil price shocks, and derivative strategies. Passionate about using data-driven tools to solve real-world challenges, she aspires to pursue a Ph.D. and contribute to international institutions like the World Bank. Outside academics, she enjoys playing the piano, volunteering in education, and exploring the intersection between data and art. She once served as a piano accompanist for her university’s choir competition, an experience that deepened her love for collaborative and creative work.