A row of musicians with strings and percussion — including instruments like a joza, santoor, doumbek, riq and naqqarah — play a steady backdrop of notes and rhythms. A vocalist then joins them, singing partially improvised melodies of the Iraqi maqam tradition — a system of melodic improvisation...

Whether Yale economist Rohini Pande is designing public policies aimed at reducing air pollution or expanding women’s employment opportunities, her general goal is the same: Serving people left behind amid booming economies and technological breakthroughs.

Pande returned to Yale last...