UCHICAGO MARKET SHAPING ACCELERATOR

SARRIN CHETHIK

Senior Policy Analyst • EconomistCHICAGO

An economist and policy analyst driving innovative market mechanisms to address global challenges. From Chicago roots to the forefront of climate resilience and pandemic preparedness, Sarrin Chethik translates rigorous economic analysis into actionable policy solutions.

At the University of Chicago's Market Shaping Accelerator, Sarrin designs and evaluates market-based interventions that accelerate innovation where traditional markets fail. His work spans climate-resilient agriculture, vaccine infrastructure, and pharmaceutical repurposing—projects that reshape markets to serve global public health and environmental sustainability.

IMPACT FOCUS Designing advance market commitments and pull mechanisms that mobilize private sector innovation to solve critical challenges in climate adaptation and pandemic preparedness.

RESEARCH & POLICY AREAS

🌾 CLIMATE RESILIENCE
Climate-Resilient Crops

Economic analysis of investments in agricultural innovation for climate adaptation. Co-authored research on returns to climate-resilient crop development, evaluating market failures and designing incentive mechanisms to accelerate R&D.

💉 PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS
Vaccine Infrastructure

Policy design for vaccine manufacturing capacity and distribution systems. Analyzing advanced market commitments (AMCs) and other pull mechanisms to ensure readiness for future pandemics.

💊 PHARMACEUTICAL INNOVATION
Generic Drug Repurposing

Creating incentive structures to encourage repurposing of generic drugs for new therapeutic applications—addressing market failures in pharmaceutical innovation for off-patent compounds.

📊 MARKET MECHANISMS
Advance Market Commitments

Designing and evaluating AMCs and other market-shaping tools. Building on the legacy of successful mechanisms like the Pneumococcal AMC and frontier climate initiatives led by Stripe Climate.

⚡ ENERGY SYSTEMS
Energy Sector Analysis

Former energy sector consultant at Guidehouse. Experience in energy market analysis, regulatory policy, and the economics of energy transition and infrastructure investment.

🎯 POLICY TRANSLATION
Evidence-Based Policy

Bridging rigorous economic research and practical policy implementation. Translating academic insights into mechanisms that mobilize billions in private sector investment toward public goods.

BACKGROUND & EXPERTISE

B.A. Economics • Northwestern University
Energy Sector Consultant • Guidehouse (formerly)

Core Competencies:

Economic Analysis Market Design Climate Policy Public Health Economics Innovation Incentives Agricultural Economics Energy Markets Policy Translation

ABOUT THE MARKET SHAPING ACCELERATOR

The University of Chicago's Market Shaping Accelerator designs market mechanisms to spur innovation for global challenges. The team has contributed to foundational research and prominent policy successes, including the Pneumococcal Advance Market Commitment (AMC)—which accelerated vaccine development for pneumococcal disease in developing countries—and Frontier, the advance market commitment for carbon removal led by Stripe Climate.

Market shaping combines rigorous economics with creative policy design to solve problems where traditional markets underinvest in socially valuable innovation.