Economics Department
DFE Lecturing Fellow Lee Reiners is quoted in this Forbes investigation article regarding real-world use case of Web3 technology and who is profiting. read more about Crypto Darling Helium Promised A ‘People’s Network.’ Instead, Its Executives Got Rich. »
Duke Economics prides itself on being where economics go far beyond finances, demonstrating just how multidimensional the discipline can be. Under the leadership of James Roberts, professor of Economics and Econ’s Chair, the department has been focusing on showing students how economics applies to multiple disciplines. From reconfiguring Econ 101 to developing labs and mentorship programs, Duke Econ is committed to dispelling pre-conceptions about the discipline and showing students that economics are applicable to the… read more about Econ’s New Faculty Take a Multifaceted Look at Real-World Problems »
As a freshman in college, Gorter Family Distinguished Professor Timur Kuran wanted to study chemical engineering. His advisor told him to take Econ 101 as an elective, saying that no matter what Kuran did in life, economics would serve him. Kuran’s TA in that class would set him on a course that changed his life. It was Oliver Hart, a man who is now a famous economist. Every week, Hart would give the class a short quiz. One week, the question was, “Should the government build a post office within 50 miles of every… read more about How a Failed Quiz Created an Economist »
Controlling the spread of misinformation on social media platforms has spurred important conversations about censorship and freedom of speech. “A tacit assumption has been that censorship, fact-checking and education are the only tools to fight misinformation,” says Duke University economist David McAdams. In new research published in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, McAdams and collaborators explore ways to improve the quality of information being shared on networks without… read more about Economists Have a Method for Reducing Fake News on Social Media »
This fall, a new lab will help students experience first-hand how research is done in economics. Made possible by a generous gift from 1978 Duke graduate Wayne Woodman, the Duke Economic Analytics Laboratory (DEAL) will provide undergraduates with real-world economics research experience. DEAL students, also known as Woodman Scholars, will join research teams led by faculty with whom they will work directly. DEAL will enable faculty to choose students that best fit their project needs, which might cover a broad range of… read more about Introducing the Duke Economic Analytics Laboratory »
Experts know COVID-19 won’t be the last major pandemic. What they don’t know is where, or when, the next one will begin. An interdisciplinary team from Duke, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), North Carolina State University (NCSU) and the Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine (TriCEM) is hoping to change that. Thanks to a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the team is pinpointing the factors that are likely to turn a local outbreak into a global pandemic. At Duke, the research… read more about Duke Team Awarded $1 million to Predict the Next Pandemic »
This past spring, Econ 101 had a bit of a glow-up. The introductory course, which typically focused on how costs and benefits are traded off in business environments, is evolving to expand students’ views of what economics is. Professor Thomas Nechyba, who taught the class in spring 2022, explained the changes: “Economics is a science that investigates the consequences of choices we make in all walks of life — because all choices involve costs and benefits even if those aren’t always expressed in money terms,” he… read more about A New Way to Teach Econ 101 »
The Federal Reserve is poised to raise its policy interest rate by 75 basis points on July 27 – the fourth rate increase of 2022. Economist John Coleman, a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, says additional rate changes this year carry high stakes. “The Fed’s decision on rate increases is significant, as an error could lead either to rising inflation or a deep recession,” Coleman says. Coleman, who began his career as a senior economist for the Board of Governors at the Federal Reserve, says the… read more about Economists: Federal Reserve Misstep Could Increase Inflation or Trigger Recession »
How we relate to social groups, members of our own and others, influences how inequality arises and persists. That’s according to a Duke professor and pioneer in stratification economics, which combines sociology, social psychology, history, and economics to deepen understanding of persistent racial and ethnic disparities. "For the stratification economist, the world consists of self-seeking 'tribes' engaged in a persistent dance of negotiation and conflict, which can… read more about How Group Identities Fuel Inequality »
What if it was possible to fight climate change, protect biodiversity and finance conservation, all at the same time? This is the question Duke economist Connel Fullenkamp and a global team of researchers are seeking to answer. “The big picture right now is that we have two big problems that we're facing,” said Fullenkamp. “Globally, we've got climate change and we've got biodiversity being threatened, and the problem is protecting these habitats takes a lot of funding.” The goal is to reduce carbon emissions, which… read more about How Elephants, Whales, and Financial Markets Can Help in the Fight Against Climate Change »
Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 24 faculty members representing five Duke colleges and schools. The 2022 honorees, as well as those distinguished professors named in 2021 and 2020, were recognized by President Vincent Price and Provost Sally Kornbluth during a reception at the Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center Wednesday evening. Appointment to a distinguished professorship is the highest honor the university can bestow upon a member of the faculty, recognizing faculty who are well-established… read more about Economist, Mathematician Awarded Distinguished Professorships »
