“Getting my Ph.D. was the best of times and the worst of times, and hopefully it will be the same for you.” With that, Director of Undergraduate Studies Dr. Connel Fullenkamp welcomed the newest cohort of economics Ph.D. students to Duke’s campus.
While it may still feel like summer in Durham, the start of the new semester is just around the corner. Out of 698 total applicants, there are 15 new Ph.D. students in this year’s class. They are from China, United States, Philippines, Italy, South Korea, Bolivia, and Taiwan, and are comprised of four women and eleven men. Their research interests are varied, from development to microeconomics, and will surely change and evolve throughout their time at Duke.
Before classes officially start, students will be put through their paces in an intensive math camp, which focuses on basic real analysis, linear algebra, optimization, and probability. The instructor this year is 4th-year Ph.D. student Craig Fratrik. Making it through math camp is a rite of passage for economics students, and they’ll come out the other side prepared for the years ahead.
EcoTeach staff were on hand to walk students through class requirements, trajectories, and to introduce them to the teaching assistant staff. EcoTeach staff as well as Fullenkamp stressed the importance of leaning on each other, as well as faculty and other resources around Duke when times get tough. “We are always looking for ways to support you better,” Fullenkamp stressed.
Learn more about our Ph.D. program.
Economics Department
