Ana Mazmishvili, PSAA Class of 2021
Center for Growth and Opportunity, Washington, DC (remotely)
- Where and with whom did you do your internship?
I did my internship at the Center for Growth and Opportunity (CGO) at Utah State University. I was a research intern for Senior Research Fellow William Rinehart, whose research focuses on technology and innovation policy. The internship should have taken place in Washington, DC, but because of COVID, I worked remotely during the summer. - What were your primary responsibilities?
I was responsible for contributing to two primary research projects through both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The first project focused on antitrust economics, laying out a new research agenda based on empirical Bayesianism and running a new meta-study of merger price effects. The second project aimed to estimate a more accurate broadband deployment number by connecting the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) official broadband deployment data to Utah’s data from its advanced mapping project. My responsibilities also included researching news and regulatory changes related to the US technology industry and writing summaries about them daily. Moreover, I was analyzing how the current technology policies were influencing the United States’ trade relationships with the EU and China. Namely, I was tracking US government decisions about imposing restrictions on Chinese technology companies and analyzing how this tech tension impacted US-Sino trade relationships. With the EU, I was reviewing how discussions on the digital service taxes in Europe were influencing the US-EU trade relationships. In addition to my work, I engaged in fact-checking others’ research, which expanded my knowledge on a wide array of topics, such as alcohol regulation across states, immigration, and environmental policies. - Which of your previous classes or learning experiences were most useful to you during the internship?
Since my internship required good writing and analytical skills, I would emphasize the courses that contributed most to the development of those skills. Public Policy Formation with Dr. Kerr equipped me with solid knowledge on how to write policy briefs and how to analyze and summarize policy in the news. Quantitative Methods I and II with Dr. Lahey and Data Science in Public Policy with Dr. Sowell prepared me very well for data-intensive assignments. - What were the highlights or most important learning opportunities from your internship experience?
The major highlight of my internship was the opportunity to interact and get feedback from the technology policy experts, which honed both my research skills and my knowledge base in the tech field. With their support, I had a chance to learn the current development of technology policies not only in the United States but also in its trading partner countries and then to analyze the policy consequences of their trade relationships. - Do you have any advice for first-year Bush School students who may be applying for an internship for this summer?
First, I would like to encourage first-year students and advise them not to doubt themselves and look at challenges as opportunities. The Bush School offers excellent opportunities, and one should take advantage of them. Second, I would recommend starting applying for an internship position and for the Mosbacher Institute internship fellowship at the same time, as early as possible. Third, try to build your professional network by connecting with previous years’ grant holders, Bush School alumni, and professors, which will help you find your optimal job position. Fourth and finally, strengthen your writing, analytical, and communication skills by taking advantage of the writing and analytical courses that the Bush School offers.
