Susmita Dasgupta Wins Excellence Award from Albany Alumni Association

Susmita Dasgupta

Susmita Dasgupta (MS Economics, 1990; PhD Economics, 1992) won the 2025 Excellence in Science & Technology Award from the University at Albany Alumni Association. The Award pays tribute to alumni for extraordinary distinction in science and/or technology. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on April 26th.

Since 2007, Susmita has been occupying the coveted position as the Lead Environmental Economist in the Development Economics Research Group at the World Bank.

Susmita has made extraordinary contributions in developing data-based technological innovations in environmental economics, and global leadership towards adoption technology to combat global warming over more than three decades. With Susmita’s research-focus on climate change, biodiversity conservation, poverty and environment, she undertook extensive research and field work on various issues related to development and environment spanning such countries such as Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Tanzania, Tunisia, Vietnam and Yemen.

PBS interview
Susmita Dasgupta's inverview with PBS

Susmita’s work on the environment has drawn well-deserved media attention. PBS interviewed her in August 2024 to understand sea-level rise in a changing climate. The interview is now available online and is being broadcast all over the USA. In early December, Harvard University invited Susmita to give an hourlong lecture on Climate Change - A Threat to Sustainable Development. Her team's findings on countries' vulnerability to rising sea levels influenced international discussions and programs such as IDA and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR).

When asked about her legacy, she says, "I believe my legacy lies in pioneering multidisciplinary climate change research, uniting climate scientists, hydrologists, soil scientists, ecologists, economists, engineers, and planners to identify vulnerabilities and adaptations for resilient development.”

UAlbany Economics department is proud to have Susmita as one of our alumni.