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Economics has historically been a male-dominated field. Even now, only around 1/3 of economics Ph.D. students are women. While progress is being made, many young women are left to parse the heavily-patriarchal system on their own (interviews for faculty jobs in hotel rooms, anyone?).   Tirza Angerhofer, Ph.D., ‘28, is trying to change that. Through the Women in Economics group, she reached out to female faculty and female Ph.D. students in economics-related disciplines such as economics, public policy and… read more about Creating Connections, Fostering Opportunities: Duke's Women in Economics Initiative »

What inspired an Economics and Mathematics dual major to also pursue a seemingly disparate minor in Cinematic Arts? For Parinay Gupta, it was his Writing 101 course: Gender and Sexuality in Latin American Films. “Delving into the analysis of gender representation in Latin American cinema, I became increasingly intrigued by the creative processes that transpired behind the camera and shaped the narratives presented on screen,” he explains. He took an acting course in Theater Studies in the spring and followed with a summer… read more about When Cinematic Arts Brings Economics into Focus »

The Southern Economic Association® (SEA) presented and honored its inaugural cohort of Distinguished Fellows on November 19, 2023 during its 93rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. The inaugural cohort consists of all living past Presidents of the Association, who are at least two years removed from office. The SEA Board unanimously approved a resolution creating a Distinguished Fellows Program at its 92nd Annual Meeting. Distinguished Fellows have a substantial record of exceptional scholarly achievement and long-term… read more about Four Duke Scholars Among Those Honored by the Southern Economic Association As the Inaugural Cohort of Distinguished Fellows »

Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, spoke Monday to students in Duke Economics. Cook summarized the status and stresses of several sectors of the U.S. economy, and took questions from students. Her uncle was Samuel DuBois Cook, a political theorist who was the first tenured African American professor at Duke. For more thoughts from speakers on campus this year, visit the Said@Duke website. read more about Federal Reserve Board Member Lisa Cook on Financial Stability and Stressors »

Exposure to a large-scale disaster, such as a tsunami, impacts population health over a decade later. A new study by an inter-disciplinary team of researchers in the United States and Indonesia has found that women who lived along the coast of Aceh, Indonesia when it was hit by waves from the 2004 tsunami have lower cortisol levels 14 years later than women who lived in other, nearby coastal communities that were not directly affected. Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol levels rise in… read more about Study Shows Long-Term Health Impacts After Exposure to Environmental Disaster »

Federico Huneeus navigates global trade and looks at how firms can be the most productive without being inequitable. (John West/Trinity Communications) “When I was younger, I had this idea that things such as inequality and productivity, common themes in Latin American development and policy debates, were connected with one another,” says Federico Huneeus. “Back then, I didn't understand where that curiosity would take me.” That curiosity has taken him from Chile to Princeton, where… read more about Federico Huneeus Aims to Strike a Balance Between Economic Efficiency and Equity »

Four faculty in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences were recently recognized by the Arts & Sciences Council for outstanding achievements in undergraduate teaching. Members of the council — in collaboration with the dean's office — choose the award recipients each year by considering student evaluations, teaching statements and recommendations from colleagues as part of the selection process. Four awards are given each year, spanning the breadth of undergraduate disciplines offered in the college. “The… read more about Four Trinity Faculty Receive Undergraduate Teaching Awards  »

Arkadev Ghosh, assistant professor of Economics. (John West/Trinity Communications) Have you ever thought about the economic impact of marrying your cousin? Arkadev Ghosh has. Extensively. Duke’s new Assistant Professor of Economics likes to divide his overall research interests into two broad categories. The first investigates how family ties influence economic development outcomes. The second focuses on field experiments and understanding intergroup contact in the Indian context.… read more about Arkadev Ghosh Looks at the Economic Benefits of Interpersonal Relations, From Summer Camps to Cousin Marriages »

V. Joseph Hotz, Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor of Economics, Tyson Brown, WLF Associate Professor of Sociology and Naomi N. Duke, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Sociology are part of a team of researchers that have received a five-year, $25.3 million National Institute on Aging (NIA) award. The award will address gaps in the understanding of potential risks for Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). Hotz, Duke and Kathleen Mullan Harris and Krista M. Perreira at the… read more about Duke and UNC Multidisciplinary Team Awarded $25.3 Million to Study Alzheimer’s Disease »

According to Timur Kuran, there isn’t a single democracy in the Middle East, which he defines as all 22 Arab states, plus Iran and Turkey. The region ranks below every other region in indices that measure political freedoms, civic life and religious freedoms.   Many have claimed that Islam is the reason for the lack of democracy. But in “Freedoms Delayed: Political Legacies of Islamic Law in the Middle East” — Kuran’s seventh book, whose e-format will be released on July 20 — the Professor of Economics and… read more about Timur Kuran Explores the Political Impact of Islam on the Middle East in New Book »