Student Profile: Aung Htet Moe, MPP Class of 2026

“After ten years of democratic government in Burma, the military seized power once again in 2021, making the country extremely fragile,” said Aung Htet Moe, MPP Class of 2026. “We saw young Burmese people struggle a lot. For example, their education has been disrupted by the civil disobedience movement, and thousands of young people fled in the country due to the implementation of compulsory military service.”

Moe, who grew up in the western part of Burma, recognized Burma needed more local policy analysts and experts to address poverty and ongoing conflicts resulting from the military coup. “Many populations lacked effective public services, and that is what spurred me to come to the US to earn my Master of Public Administration from Northern Illinois University in 2024.”

“Given the volatile situation I left in Burma, I didn't feel I was as prepared for the MPA program as I would have liked. Still, the MPA provided me with the practical knowledge of effective governance, which is a valuable component that supports my goal of working with government agencies as a policy analyst.”

While earning his MPA, Moe also began attending University of Chicago conferences, where he connected with Harris students and learned about Harris faculty. “I began to recognize that the public policy components underlying the MPP program could equip me with evidence-based tools to formulate and analyze policy. Plus, as I learned more about the faculty at Harris, opportunities exclusive to Harris became apparent—namely, the possibility of studying with faculty members such as Colm O'Muircheartaigh, who worked in Myanmar; social program evaluation specialist James Heckman; and conflict resolution experts Roger Myerson and James Robinson.”

While at Harris, Moe will not only bring skills gained from his MPA to bear on his Harris experience but also more than 10 years of professional and volunteer experience.

“Most of my professional and volunteer experiences revolve around serving in a monitoring and evaluation capacity. For example, my work at the United Nations and Help Age International focused on international development, local government administration, and evidence-based research that aimed to strengthen community and government capacity to protect vulnerable groups and households. One of my volunteer roles included a youth development project at the US Embassy in Burma, co-sponsored by a State Department grant, that addressed issues ranging from mobile literacy to entrepreneurship."

Moe said while much of his inspiration for giving back to his community draws on his volunteer experiences, there are three people he consistently acknowledges as deeply inspiring him. “First, Aung San Suu Kyi. She led the Burma before the coup and is still in prison. She is someone I, and many Burmese, draw inspiration from to never give up fighting for a democratic Burma. Second, Barack Obama. I had the privilege to meet him twice, and he inspires me as a community organizer. And most importantly, my father, because he is still doing community service in Burma.”

As for future plans, Moe said he wants to be a policy analyst working with government and international stakeholders to promote socioeconomic equity, globally sustainable development goals, and positive peace in Burma. “Studying at the University of Chicago is the ultimate opportunity to develop my policy research and analytical skills to improve Burma’s development.”