Urgessa Tilahun Bekabil (PhD)
Senior Researcher & Consultant · Industrial Economics · Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
utilahunb@yahoo.com
utilahunb@gmail.com
+251 911 973 020
ORCID: 0000-0001-6404-2048
Summary
Experienced senior researcher and consultant with a strong background in conducting research, providing training, teaching economics at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, reviewing scholarly articles, and publishing research findings. Specialises in industrial economics, environmental economics, waste management and innovation adoption among manufacturing firms.
Education
PhD in Industrial Economics
Jimma University, College of Business and Economics
October 2019 – December 2025 · Excellent Grade
Dissertation: Industrial Waste Management and Environmental Innovation Adoption: Firm-Level Analysis among Manufacturing Industries in Shaggar City, Ethiopia
MSc in Agricultural Economics
Wollega University, School of Graduate Studies
October 2011 – June 2013
Thesis: Farmers' Perception and Adaptation to Climate Change through Conservation Agriculture: The Case of Western Ethiopia
Bachelor of Arts in Finance and Development Economics
Addis Ababa University, School of Commerce
October 2005 – July 2008
Work Experience
Researcher & Trainer
Institute for Finance & Economic Research, Oromia State University, Addis Ababa
September 2024 – Present
Teaching and learning coordination at university level; preparation of research proposals addressing socio-economic problems; fund mobilisation; publication of research findings in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals; training delivery to communities in Oromia Regional State.
Lecturer, Department of Economics
Oromia State University, Batu, Ethiopia
April 2017 – October 2019
Teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students; conducting research; providing community training; monitoring academic staff performance; facilitating recruitment processes.
Appraisal, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
Oromia Bureau of Finance and Economic Development, Addis Ababa
February 2015 – March 2017
Technical support to local and international NGOs in project planning, monitoring and evaluation; facilitating experience-sharing sessions; coordinating field-level monitoring; appraising project proposals for procedural, technical and financial feasibility.
Assistant Socio-Economics Researcher
Haro Sabu Agricultural Research Center, Haro Sabu, Ethiopia
January 2014 – January 2015
Research proposal preparation for smallholder farmer challenges in West Oromia; fund searching; implementing Oromia Agricultural Research Institute-approved proposals; monitoring project outcomes; publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals.
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer
East Wollega Zone Finance and Economic Development Office, Nekemte
September 2008 – December 2013
Preparing annual plans; producing monthly, quarterly and annual government reports; monitoring and evaluating the physical and financial performance of projects.
Publications
Bekabil, U. T., Jayamohan, M. K., & Beyene, A. B. (2025). Waste management practices and perceptions among firms and communities in Shaggar City, Ethiopia. Discover Environment, 3(1).
DOI
Bekabil, U. T., Jayamohan, M. K., & Beyene, A. B. (2025). Determinants of environmental innovation adoption among manufacturing firms in Shaggar City, Ethiopia. Discover Sustainability, 6(1).
DOI
Bekabil, U. T., Jayamohan, M. K., & Beyene, A. B. (2025). Determinants of choice of solid waste disposal methods: Analysis of manufacturing firms in Shaggar City, Ethiopia. Environmental Claims Journal, 1–33.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T., Jayamohan, M. K., & Beyene, A. B. (2025). Determinants of environmental rehabilitation expenditure among manufacturing firms in Shaggar city administration, Ethiopia. Sustainable Futures, 10, 100972.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T., Jayamohan, M. K., & Beyene, A. B. (2025). Industrial wastewater treatment and reuse: Heckman probit sample selection model. MethodsX, 14, 103192.
DOI
Guta, A., & Bekabil, U. T. (2021). Distribution and Status of Maize Common Smut at West Wollega, Ethiopia. European Journal of Biophysics, 9(2), 48.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T. (2020). Industrialization and Environmental Pollution in Africa: An Empirical review. Journal of Resources Development and Management.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T. & Beyene, A. B. (2015). Dynamics of Farmers' Participation in Conservation Agriculture: Binary Logistic Regression Analysis. Journal of Poverty, Investment and Development, 13(2015), 74–83.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T. (2015). Empirical review of production, productivity and marketability of soya bean in Ethiopia. International Journal of U- and E-Service Science and Technology, 8(1), 61–66.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T., & Bedemo, A. B. (2014). Farmers' perception and adaptation to climate change: Heckman's two-stage sample selection model. Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management, 7(2), 832.
DOI
Bekabil, U. T. (2014). Review of Challenges and Prospects of Agricultural Production and Productivity in Ethiopia. Journal of Natural Sciences and Technology (Vietnam National University), 4(18), 70–77.
DOI
Training with Certificate
Excellence in Peer Review: How to be an Effective Peer Reviewer
Taylor and Francis Reviewer Training Network (Online)
July 16, 2021
Understand the Essentials of Peer Review
Wiley Reviewer Academy (Online)
July 16, 2021
Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW)
Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC)-Ethiopia & UNDP Ethiopia
June 14–19, 2021
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)
Light Computer Technology Center
August 20–28, 2013
Project Cycle Management (PCM)
NeCSOO & Oromia Bureau of Finance and Economic Development
July 1–5, 2013
Introduction to Geographic Information System (GIS)
IFPRI & Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI)
August 29–31, 2012
Access Application, MS-Project, SPSS, and Database Management (120 hrs)
Admas University College & Oromia Bureau of Finance
November 15, 2009
Organisational Membership & Reviewing
Ethiopian Economics Association
Full Member
January 2016 – Present
Ethiopian Statistics Association
Full Member
September 2025 – Present
Cogent Food & Agriculture (Taylor & Francis)
Reviewer
July 2020 – Present
Cogent Business & Management (Taylor & Francis)
Reviewer
September 2020 – Present
Cogent Environmental Science (Taylor & Francis)
Reviewer
February 2021 – Present
Innovation and Development (Taylor & Francis)
Reviewer
April 2021 – Present
Discover Sustainability (Springer Nature)
Reviewer
December 2025 – Present
Discover Global Society (Springer Nature)
Reviewer
January 2025 – Present
References
Amsalu Bedemo (PhD)
Thesis & Dissertation Advisor
Ethiopian Public Service University
+251 911 071 514
Skills
Software
SPSS
Stata
EViews
GAMS
MS Word
MS Excel
MS PowerPoint
MS Access
Languages
English
Afaan Oromo
Amharic