Sophia Calkins ‘28, an Economics and Government double major specializing in International Security and Economic Statecraft and a War and Peace Fellow with the Davidson Institute, spent the spring 2026 term working with the Economic Research and Statistics Division at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
As an International Economics Fellow, Sophia contributed to the 2026 World Trade Report and developed a new classification of international trade codes for AI-enabling goods, among other projects.
Reflecting on her experience, Sophia said, “By the end of the internship, I had learned to code and understand a gravity model—an advanced economic model used to measure how policies affect trade flows in particular goods. I loved the back-and-forth of asking for tasks I didn’t yet understand, learning on the go, and then being drilled on how and why I did what I did.”
Her fellowship was made possible through the support of Professor Robert Staiger, current WTO Chief Economist, with funding from the Davidson Institute’s International Security and Economics Pilot Project. Through partnerships with organizations such as the WTO, the Davidson Institute gives Dartmouth students hands-on opportunities to build practical skills and gain firsthand insight into international economic and security policy.
I loved the back-and-forth of asking for tasks I didn’t yet understand, learning on the go, and then being drilled on how and why I did what I did.
Sophia Calkins ‘28
