Central to the initiative is the establishment of the research workshop environment at the undergraduate level. Through the creation of Junior and Senior Research Workshops in the areas of Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, History and Finance, we want to encourage an interchange of research ideas, problems, and strategies among undergraduates and faculty that is similar to the sort of interchange that now goes on between graduate students and faculty. Recognizing that for this interchange to be productive, there has to be a certain amount of shared or common knowledge among participants, the initiative is also engaged in the creation of key field courses intended to deepen students' understanding of specialized topics that may have been only briefly mentioned in economics core courses.

As we begin our third year, it is exciting to witness the impact it has already had on our students. I extend my warm congratulations to the record twenty-seven majors who successfully completed independent research and an honors thesis, graduating with distinction or high distinction. Of special note are R. Selin Dilmener and Tzuo Hann Law (Davies Fellow 2006) who were co-awarded the Allen Starling Johnson, Jr. Best Thesis Prize for their respective works, A Theory of Evacuation as a Coordination Problem , mentored by Dr. Huseyin Yildirim, and The Elusiveness of Systematic Jumps , mentored by Drs. George Tauchen and Tim Bollerslev. These theses, along with those of their peers, are published in the Duke Journal of Economics.

I also congratulate our 2007 Davies Fellows, Paul Slattery and Andrey Fradkin. You can read more about Paul's and Andrey's research in the upcoming Fall 2007 edition of the Oeconophile.

While increasing numbers of economics majors are engaging in research, many students are shaping their undergraduate experience in preparation for entering jobs in the financial sector. For these students, I am thrilled to announce the Spring 2008 debut of the Duke in New York: Financial Markets and Institutions Program, a joint venture between the Department of Economics and the Markets and Management Certificate Program. Designed to introduce students to all dimensions of the financial services industry, participants will gain firsthand knowledge of the industry, as well as the regulations and institutions affecting it, both through coursework and organized interactions with Duke Alumni working in this industry.

The program incorporates four full-credit courses taught by Duke Faculty, group business consulting projects, a mentorship program with Duke Alumni in the industry, guest lectures and panels, visits to trading floors, a shadowing program, and socials hosted by banks and other institutions. Students should leave the program with a more complete understanding of the wide range of financial services present in New York City and with a sense of community created with the many Duke Alumni who have eagerly volunteered to participate.

The Research Initiative and Duke in NY Program are only a few of the numerous interesting and ongoing activities in EcoTeach. I encourage you to visit the EcoTeach site often for up-to-date information on the many aspects of studying economics at Duke.


Michelle Connolly
Director of EcoTeach

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