Rosie Neville
Rosie is an economist at the Welsh Government, where she works on the UK's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). She studied Economics and Politics at the University of Bristol, and briefly worked at a think tank before joining the civil service.
Mae Rosie yn economegydd i Lywodraeth Cymru ac yn gweithio ar y Cynllun Masnachu Allyriadau. Astudioedd Economeg a Gwleidyddiaeth ym Mhrifysgol Bryste. Gweithiodd mewn melin drafod cyn ymuno â’r gwasanaeth sifil.
Why did you choose to study economics?
Pam wnaethoch chi ddewis economeg?
I initially decided to study Economics after attending a GCSE Options talk where the Economics Teacher's passion was infectious. From there, I choose Economics for my A-levels and later for university. Looking back, that talk was a 'sliding doors' moment, as I had no prior interest or understanding of what economics really entailed.
I ddechrau, penderfynais astudio Economeg ar ôl mynychu sgwrs Opsiynau TGAU lle'r oedd angerdd yr athro Economeg yn heintus. O'r fan honno, dewisiais Economeg fel Lefel A ac wedyn fel pwnc prifysgol. Wrth edrych yn ôl, roedd y sgwrs honno'n ‘drobwynt’, gan nad oedd gen i ddiddordeb na dealltwriaeth o'r hyn roedd economeg yn ei olygu mewn gwirionedd.
How would you describe economics?
Sut fyddet ti’n disgrifio economeg?
For most, the mention of economics conjured images of money. I’ve studied economics long enough to be able to rehash the line “economics is the study of how societies allocate scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants and needs”. But what does this mean? Economics unveils the underlying dynamics of human behaviour and societal choices. It's about delving into the intricate mechanisms shaping resource allocation, and how individuals, businesses, and governments navigate our interconnected world's complexities and incentives. Economics uncovers the "why" behind our actions, our interactions, and the ripple effects these interactions have.
I'r rhan fwyaf, roedd y syniad o economeg yn golygu arian. Rydw i wedi astudio economeg yn ddigon hir i allu ail-lunio'r llinell "economeg yw'r astudiaeth o sut mae cymdeithasau'n dyrannu adnoddau prin i fodloni dymuniadau ac anghenion diderfyn". Ond beth mae hyn yn ei olygu? Mae economeg yn datgelu deinameg sylfaenol ymddygiad dynol a dewisiadau cymdeithasol. Mae'n ymwneud â ymchwilio i'r mecanweithiau cymhleth sy'n siapio dyraniad adnoddau, a sut mae unigolion, busnesau a llywodraethau yn llywio cymhlethdodau a chymhellion ein byd rhyng-gysylltiedig. Economeg sy’n datgelu'r "pam" y tu ôl i'n gweithredoedd, ein rhyngweithiadau, a'r effeithiau cryfach y mae'r rhyngweithiadau hyn yn eu cael.
If you had a time machine and could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give them?
Pe bai gennych beiriant amser ac y gallech gwrdd â'ch hun yn 16 oed, pa gyngor fyddech chi'n ei roi iddyn nhw?
Well, naturally this would depend on what sort of time travel you’re talking about – fixed timeline? Dynamic Timeline? Multiverse theory? – if we’re assuming the Novikov Self-Consistency Principle, any advice would have no impact!
The advice I'd offer my 16-year-old self - and even to my current self to some extent - is that it's preferable to attempt something and fail, learning in the process, then to not try at all. It's common to fall into the trap of accepting/ reinforcing our self-perception, which in many cases hold us back. I think this can be applied to most aspects of life – not just school/ work.
Wel, yn naturiol byddai hyn yn dibynnu ar ba fath o deithio amser rydych chi'n sôn amdano - llinell amser sefydlog? Llinell Amser Ddynamig? Damcaniaeth amlochrog? - os ydyn ni'n tybio Egwyddor Hunan-Gysondeb Novikov, ni fyddai unrhyw gyngor yn cael unrhyw effaith!
Y cyngor byddwn yn cynnig i’n hunan16 oed – ac i fi nawr hyd yn oed – yw bod gwell ceisio a methu, a dysgu trwy wneud, na pheidio â thrio o gwbl. Mae’n gyffredin i gwympo i’r trap o dderbyn ac atgyfnerthu hunanganfyddiadau sy’n aml yn dal ni nôl. Dwi’n credu y gellir cymhwyso hyn i’r rhan fwyaf o agweddau ar fywyd – nid dim ond ysgol/gwaith.
What is your favourite part of economics?
Beth yw dy hoff beth am economeg?
My favourite part is public economics, which can be seen as economics for the public good. It as it deals with issues that directly affect society, such as taxation, public goods provision, welfare programs, and environmental policies. Understanding these areas is crucial for policymakers in creating effective and efficient policies that improve societal welfare i.e. make people’s lives “better”.
Fy hoff beth yw economeg cyhoeddus achos y budd ddaw ohono. Mae’n ymwneud â materion sy’n effeithio ar gymdeithas fel trethi, darparu nwyddau cyhoeddus, rhaglennu lles a polisïau amgylcheddol. Mae deall yr holl elfennau yma yn hanfodol i lunwyr polisi er mwyn iddynt greu polisiau effeithiol gwella bywydau pobl.
Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance?
A oes unrhyw beth y byddech chi'n ei wneud yn wahanol pe byddech chi'n cael y cyfle?
It’s easy said in hindsight, when even last-night essay writing can be viewed through rose-tinted glasses, but I wish I appreciated and exploited the opportunity afforded to me when in full time education. Whilst, of course, you learn on the job, having education centre stage in your life is a privilege that I feel I didn't fully appreciate or take advantage of.
Mae'n hawdd dweud wrth edrych yn ôl, pan gofiwch am ysgrifennu traethawd funud olaf trwy sbectol binc, ond hoffen i pe bawn i wedi gwerthfawrogi a manteisio ar y cyfleon a roddwyd i mi pan oeddwn i mewn addysg llawn amser. Wrth gwrs, rydych chi'n dysgu wrth weithio, ond mae rhoi llwyfan canolog i addysg yn eich bywyd yn fraint nad oeddwn i’n ymwybodol ohono na chwaith yn ei werthfawrogi'n llawn.