Yudong Rao

Hi, welcome to my personal website! 

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at Washington University in St. Louis, with prior experience at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), where I worked as a PhD Intern in the Expenditure Policy Division of the Fiscal Affairs Department (Summer 2024) and as a Research Analyst in the Lending Division of the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department (2019–2022).

Before my PhD, I also gained experience across several industries, including technology (IBM, 2016), journalism (2018), and the film industry (Delirio Films, 2016). I completed my undergraduate studies in Accounting at the University of Iowa and earned a master’s degree from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University.

My research interests include:

• Macroeconomics

• Monetary economics

• International economics

• Banking and financial institutions

• Financial markets

• Digital assets, with a focus on stablecoins

rao.y@wustl.edu