2016 Graduate Student Workshop in Experimental Economics

The
Economic Science Institute
at Chapman recently hosted 20 doctoral students from around the world for the 21st Visiting Graduate Student Workshop in Experimental Economics.

In a series of 11 sessions, the students first participated in an economic experiment earning cash as a naive subject would and then afterwards discussed with the faculty member the research questions and methods of the project. The topics of the modules covered a broad range of applications, including virtual organizations, virtual worlds, and game theory of contests and monetary policy.

Vernon Smith, Ph.D., George L. Argyros Endowed Chair in Finance and Economics and Bart Wilson Ph.D., Professor, Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Economics and Law, the workshop director, also led Socratic round-table discussions for which the students had in advance read essays and selections of writings by W.S. Jevons, F.A. Hayek, and Vernon Smith.

Presenting faculty, from Chapman except where noted, included: Sarah Brosnan (Georgia State University), 
Gabriele Camera
,
Brice Corgnet
, Cary Deck (University of Alaska Anchorage and Chapman University), 
Mark DeSantis
, Alan Gelder,
Dan Kovenock
, Kevin McCabe (George Mason University), 
Jared Rubin
,
Timothy Shields
,
Vernon Smith
,
Nathaniel Wilcox
, and 
Bart Wilson
.

Here is what some participants had to say about the workshop:

• “This workshop and immense value past just the monetary gain of the experiments. The lectures showed me new ways of doing things and have opened my eyes to new tools and perspectives. We had opportunity to talk with each lecturer one-on-one after lectures which was of huge value to be able to get their feedback on specific ideas. We were able to have free time which all of the participants spent as a group which fostered great intellectual conversations that would not be had in any other setting. The knowledge and contacts made at this conference was incredible.”
• “This workshop was such a fantastic experience, by far better than any workshop or conference I have ever attended and probably ever will attend. I wish I could do it twice! I learned a lot by participating in the experiments and then seeing how what the subject went through translated into a final paper. The pool of graduate students was incredibly diverse as well, making for very good networking and discussions. I’m definitely going back and telling all my classmates who are even only marginally interested in experiments to consider applying next year.”
• “A great workshop, full of brilliant, international participants and presenters. The workshop takes excellent care of participants, teaches them a great deal, gives them much needed experience in experimental economics, and they pay well!“

For more information on conferences, graduate and high school level workshops, and the Summer Scholar program hosted at the Economic Science Institute, please visit 
the Economic Science Institute’s home page.