Sara Taghvatalab

  • Lecturer, Economics
  • Ph.D. Virginia Tech
  • M.A. Virginia Tech
  • M.Sc. Allameh Tabatabai University
  • B.Sc. University of Tehran

Teaching Interests

Principles of Microeconomics, Intermediate Microeconomics

Research Interests

Economics of Gender, Development Economics, Applied Econometrics, and Middle East Economics

Awards and Honors

  • 2015, Graduate Student Instructor of the Year 2014-2015, Department of Economics, Virginia Tech
  • 2014, Graduate Student Instructor of the Year 2013-2014, Department of Economics, Virginia Tech
  • Publications

    Journal Articles


  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2019). Education and the Allocation of Time of Married Women in Iran. Review of Economics of the Household , (17) 3 889-921.

    Conference Proceedings


  • Salehi-Isfahani, D.Taghvatalab, S. (2017). Education and the Allocation of Time of Married Women in Iran. Economic Research Forum Working Papers. 1114

  • Other(s)


  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2019). Women’s Work and Education in Iran: Lessons from Time-use Data.The Forum, ERF Policy Portal.
  • Presentations

  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2022). “Electrification and the Closing of the Gender Gap in Education in Rural Iran” Presented at the AALIMS-Princeton Conference on the Political Economy of the Muslim World Princeton, NJ
  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2021). “Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Women in Rural Iran” Presented at the Economic Research Forum (ERF) 27th Annual Conference Virtual
  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2019). “The Impact of Rural Electrification on Fertility: Evidence from Iran” Presented at the Southern Economic Association, 89th Annual Meeting Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2016). “The Impact of Rural Electrification on Female Empowerment” Presented at the 82nd International Atlantic Economic Conference Washington, D.C.
  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2016). “Education and the Allocation of Time of Iranian Women” Presented at the 4th International Conference on the Iranian Economy Marburg, Germany
  • Salehi-Isfahani, D., Taghvatalab, S. (2016). “How Education Affects Women's Allocation of Time: Evidence from Iran” Presented at the Population Association of America 2016 Annual Meeting Washington, D.C.
  • Service

    Department Service


  • Committee Member for Economics Department Principles Committee 2022 - Present
  • Professional Service


  • Reviewer, Textbook for Routledge Publisher - 2022