Prayash Pathak

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota whose research spans consumer economics, applied industrial organization, and policy analysis. My  work examines how firms, technologies, and public policies shape consumer and firm outcomes. Current projects study surveillance and personalized pricing, surge-style pricing around SNAP benefit cycles, and disparities in online grocery markets. I also work on a broader set of policy questions, including how economic policies and new technologies affect households, workers, firms, and educational outcomes. My research in this area examines household-level inflation disparities, immigration enforcement and agricultural firms, the use of LLMs and AI in employer decision-making, and policies aimed at improving college student retention.