Quantitative and Qualitative Research, data management, data analysis

Prakash Kandel

PRAKASH KANDEL, Ph.D.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHER EDUCATION, POLICY & PROGRAM EVALUATION Voorhees, NJ ********************@*****.*** +1-856-***-**** LinkedIn ORCID PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Quantitative researcher and program evaluation professional with a Ph.D. in Public Affairs and extensive experience designing research, managing complex longitudinal datasets, and applying regression-based and quasi-experimental methods across academic, nonprofit, and international development settings. Research includes education finance and student outcomes, local public finance, community development, and health equity. Experienced designing and administering surveys, conducting mixed-methods data collection, independently developing analytical approaches, and translating statistical findings into clear reports and presentations for technical and non-technical audiences. Advanced proficiency in Stata with additional experience in Python, NVivo, Kobo Toolbox, Qualtrics, QGIS, and data visualization. CORE ANALYTICAL SKILLS

Quantitative Research Design: Regression analysis; panel-data methods; fixed effects; difference-in-differences; regression discontinuity; causal inference; quasi-experimental designs Survey & Mixed-Methods Research: Survey design and administration; Kobo Toolbox; Qualtrics; focus groups; key- informant and elite interviews; qualitative coding; thematic analysis Statistical Software & Data Management: Stata; R; Python; NVivo; large multi-source datasets; data cleaning; coding; integration; validation; documentation

Education & Applied Policy Research: Education finance and policy; student outcomes; program evaluation; public finance; health equity; community-engaged research Research Communication & Project Coordination: Research reports; statistical tables and figures; presentations; stakeholder communication; proposal and grant writing; task and timeline management; mentoring PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Presidential Fellow & Graduate Research Assistant Rutgers University-Camden 2021-2026

• Developed and implemented quantitative research designs examining municipal fiscal constraints, education finance, and student outcomes using longitudinal administrative and public data.

• Built, cleaned, integrated, and analyzed multi-decade fiscal, demographic, socioeconomic, and education datasets in Stata; applied regression, fixed effects, difference-in-differences, and regression discontinuity methods.

• Defined empirical methodologies, conducted robustness and sensitivity analyses, and synthesized relevant technical and policy literature to support rigorous, policy-relevant research.

• Produced research reports, manuscripts, statistical tables, figures, visualizations, and conference presentations; translated quantitative findings for academic and policy audiences.

• Managed concurrent research tasks and timelines, collaborated with faculty researchers, and mentored junior Ph.D. students on data management, research design, and analytical workflows. Summer Research Assistant New Jersey State Policy Lab, Rutgers University 2022

• Conducted applied quantitative policy research using municipal-level data to evaluate the fiscal and economic effects of recreational cannabis legalization in New Jersey.

• Contributed data analysis, literature synthesis, tables, and written findings to a state policy report and peer-reviewed publications for policy and research audiences.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Policy Communications Roles International NGOs 2012-2021

• Led monitoring, evaluation, and applied research for programs in education, livelihoods, public health, governance, community development, and human rights.

• Designed and administered demographic and household surveys using Kobo Toolbox; developed data-collection instruments and conducted key-informant, elite, and stakeholder interviews and focus groups.

• Cleaned and analyzed program data and integrated quantitative and qualitative evidence to produce evaluation reports, presentations, evidence summaries, and actionable recommendations for donors and program teams.

• Contributed to proposals and grant materials, coordinated with government and nonprofit partners, and managed competing research, reporting, and project timelines in multidisciplinary settings. Prakash Kandel

Additional Research & Teaching Experience 2007-2014; 2024-2025

• Conducted community-engaged research with nonprofit partners through Rutgers-Camden and supported interdisciplinary health-equity research on racial and ethnic disparities in pediatric asthma outcomes through the Rutgers School of Nursing-Camden.

• Served as instructor of record for secondary school science courses (grades 8-10) and prepared students for TOEFL, IELTS, and SAT Reading and Writing; also mentored junior Public Affairs Ph.D. students on research and data workflows.

EDUCATION

Rutgers University - Ph.D. in Public Affairs, 2026 Dissertation with Distinction GPA: 4.00 Rutgers University - M.S. in Public Affairs, 2023 Capstone with Distinction GPA: 4.00 Tribhuvan University - M.A. in Conflict, Peace, and Development Studies, 2012 Thesis with Excellence GPA: 3.56 Tribhuvan University, Nepal - B.Sc. in Microbiology, 2006 Doctoral Research: Fiscal Constraint and Override Activity Under Proposition 2 : Long-Run Evidence from Massachusetts.

SELECTED RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS

• Kandel, P., & Hayes, M. S. “Proposition 2 Overrides and Student Outcomes: Long-Run Evidence from Massachusetts.” In progress.

• Hayes, M. S., Kandel, P., & Sarubbi, G. R. “Revenue Diversification or Revenue Substitution? Evidence from Local Cannabis Taxes and Property Tax Rates.” Accepted for publication, State and Local Government Review.

• Pudasainee-Kapri, S., et al., incl. Kandel, P. (2025). “Emergency Department Visits Among Children with Asthma: Racial/Ethnic Disparities Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Nursing Outlook, 73(3), 102394.

• Hayes, M. S., & Kandel, P. (2023). “Did Fiscal Outcomes and Government Employment Change Differently During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Municipality Socioeconomic Status?” Municipal Finance Journal, 44(2), 55-75. SELECTED HONORS

Graduation with Distinction, Ph.D., Rutgers University (2026) Presidential Fellowship, Rutgers University (2021- 2025) Predoctoral Leadership Development Academy Fellow (2024-2025)

Contact this candidate