The Australian National University (ANU) economics PhD candidate Dyah Pritadrajati (Prita) combines her love for travel and study wherever possible.

She's particularly excited to be studying at Yale. After applying twice, Prita, from the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific (CAP), won the 2024 Fox International Fellowship (ANU to Yale University) and is now settling into life in New Haven, Connecticut, at the start of her 10-month stint.

She’s looking forward to developing her research on childcare and female labour force participation and enjoying classes and seminars at one of the USA’s top Ivy League schools. Not to mention the Gothic architecture, dreamy libraries and the charm of New England in the Fall.

“It’s a dream come true. The Fellowship covers everything – travel, housing and a stipend – which really allows me to concentrate on my work. And of course, it is just beautiful. I’m so excited to be here,” she says.

While at Yale, Prita will explore how better policies around childcare and support for women can boost economic growth, with a focus on improving the balance of careers and family for women in developing countries, where extended family structures are common, yet women’s welfare has rarely been a primary focus.

Her passion for economic policy was sparked in high school by watching Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani on television.

“She spoke with such clarity and authority on economic strategy that I immediately wanted to be like her,” Prita says.

“At the time, I was a science major in high school, and no one seemed to know much about social sciences, let alone economics. 

"I ended up finding information about economics degrees online, using my very limited internet access. I believe many Indonesian high schoolers struggle to make the best decisions about their future careers simply because they don't have enough access to information about fields like economics.”

Prita did an economics degree at the University of Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, then won a scholarship to do her master’s in development economics at Oxford followed by an MPhil in economics at Cambridge in the UK, and a six-month internship in Italy with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) conducting analyses to determine how financial aid impacts beneficiaries. 

When she returned to Indonesia, she started work providing policy advice to the President on employment programs to upskill young people.

“Even though the work was different from what I studied, I found myself using the same framework – building hypotheses and testing them within policy contexts,” Prita says.

The experience made her want to study again, so she came to ANU as her husband was working in Australia, but she was also drawn by the Crawford School’s strong connections with Indonesia.

“I’ve found that it’s not only about the research, but also finding like-minded people with the same spirit and interests. I love the community at Crawford,” she says.

Prita has some friendly advice to offer future Fox Fellowship applicants at ANU.

“First, ask for feedback from Yale if your initial application isn’t successful – I’m sure this is why I got in the second time,” she says.

“Secondly, make sure your research applies to broader global contexts, addresses pressing issues, or sparks discourse beyond the academic sphere. Another thing to note is that having a supervisor or mentor at Yale can help. While it’s not required, it shows you’ve had meaningful discussions about your research with someone at the institution.”

“And remember, persistence is key – don’t be put off if you’re rejected at first; apply again because you never know!”

For now, Prita will throw herself into Ivy League life and deepen her research focus.

“I'm excited to be at Yale for the intellectual freedom and the chance to attend classes and workshops purely for the love of learning, while having access to incredible libraries and an inspiring academic community.” she says.

“It’s thrilling to be part of such a close-knit program with peers from universities around the world. I can’t wait to meet new people, forge meaningful connections, and leave as friends who feel like family."

For more information on the Fox International Fellowship (ANU to Yale) and to apply, click here.