Tex W
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at Clark Atlanta University
Expertise
International economics and global markets, public policy and policy analysis, political economy of development, trade policy and industrial strategy, technology policy and digital equity, energy systems and infrastructure economics, financial markets and market behavior, cryptocurrency and digital asset markets, data driven policy research, podcast and video explainers for economics and policy
Bio
Tex Wambui is a public policy and economics researcher driven by questions about power, access, and long term impact. His academic work sits at the intersection of environmental economics, international trade, and higher education, where he examines how policy decisions shape inequality, climate outcomes, and opportunity across communities. He is especially interested in how incentives, data, and institutions can be designed to support sustainable growth without leaving people behind. Across his work, Tex approaches research as both an analytical and human practice grounded in real world consequences. Outside of research, Tex spends as much time as possible outdoors hiking, swimming, and golfing as a way to stay grounded and curious. He loves traveling and learning about places through food, history, and everyday conversations, and he brings that curiosity into his mentoring. As a mentor, he focuses on creating inclusive, thoughtful learning spaces where students learn to ask strong questions, think critically, and connect big ideas to the world around them.Project ideas
Dynamic structures of culture, people, and language in Africa.
This project explores how culture, language, and history shape social and political life in East Africa, with a focus on Kenya and Tanzania. Students will examine how pre colonial traditions, trade networks, colonial boundaries, and post independence governance have influenced cultural identity, community cohesion, and relationships with land and nature. Rather than treating culture as static, the project centers culture as something living shaped by power, policy, and environmental change. Students will investigate how historical events such as the Berlin Conference altered social structures and governance systems, and how these shifts continue to affect economic development, conservation practices, and community autonomy today. Particular attention will be paid to tensions between modern state systems and Indigenous or rural communities, including issues related to land use, deforestation, tourism, and cultural preservation. Through guided research, students will learn how to gather and evaluate sources, synthesize historical and contemporary perspectives, and ask ethical questions about representation, development, and progress.
Electrification, Education, and Inequality in Kenya
This project examines why access to electricity remains uneven in Kenya and how those gaps shape education, technology access, and economic opportunity. Students will explore rural–urban disparities in electrification, focusing on how infrastructure limitations, affordability, and policy decisions affect schools, households, and communities. Rather than treating electricity as a purely technical issue, the project frames energy access as a social and developmental question tied to equity and public policy. Students will analyze real world data, policy reports, and case studies related to Kenya’s energy sector, including the role of renewable energy, government electrification strategies, and international partnerships. The project emphasizes critical evaluation of evidence, helping students understand how statistics, policy goals, and lived experience intersect. Through guided research, students will learn how to define a policy problem, assess competing solutions, and communicate findings clearly to non-technical audiences.
Global Supply Chains, Trade Policy, and the Economics of Technology
This project explores how global supply chains and international trade policies shape access to technology, energy, and essential goods. Students will examine how countries interact through trade agreements, tariffs, and industrial policy, and how these decisions influence innovation, economic growth, and inequality across regions. Using real world examples such as semiconductors, critical minerals, or clean energy technologies, students will analyze how economics, policy, and engineering constraints intersect at a global scale. Students will work with economic data, trade reports, and policy documents to understand concepts such as comparative advantage, supply chain resilience, and market concentration. The project emphasizes analytical thinking and quantitative reasoning, helping students learn how economic models and data are used to inform policy decisions in science and technology driven sectors.
Understanding Markets Through Crypto: Research, Risk, and Public Explanation
This project uses cryptocurrency and digital asset markets as a case study for understanding how financial markets function. Students will examine how crypto markets are structured, how prices are formed, and how information, speculation, regulation, and technology influence market behavior. The focus is not on trading or explaining how to get rich, but on analyzing crypto as an economic system shaped by incentives, policy choices, and human behavior. Students will research topics such as market volatility, investor psychology, regulation, and the differences between traditional financial markets and decentralized systems. Alongside research, students will learn how to translate complex economic and technical ideas into clear explanations for a general audience. A key component of the project is communication. Students will develop short podcast episodes or video explainers that break down their research in an accessible, responsible way, learning how to combine evidence, storytelling, and clarity.
