Eighteenth Visiting Graduate Student Workshop in Experimental Economics Hosted at Chapman University

Jan. 6th-10th, the Economic Science Institute, with a generous grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE), hosted 24 doctoral students from universities all over the world for the 18th Visiting Graduate Student Workshop in Experimental Economics. In a series of 10 sessions, the students first participated in an economic experiment as a naive subject would and then afterwards discussed with the faculty member the research questions and methods of the project. Presenting faculty, from Chapman except where noted, included: Sarah Brosnan (Georgia State University), Terrence Burnham, Gabriele Camera, Brice Corgnet, Dan Kovenock, Kevin McCabe (George Mason University), Stephen Rassenti, Jared Rubin, Roman Sheremeta, Bart Wilson, and Abel Winn.  The topics of the modules covered a broad range of applications, including the biological foundations of economics, housing markets, the origins of property rights, game theory of contests and monetary policy, the organizational structure of firms, and neuroeconomics. Vernon Smith and Bart Wilson, the workshop director, also led Socratic roundtable discussions each morning for which the students had in advance read essays and selections of writings by W.S. Jevons, F.A. Hayek, and Adam Smith (The Theory of Moral Sentiments). The students left the workshop with a deeper appreciation for the philosophy of economic science, insights into the practical skills for conducting experimental research, and a broader exposure to new questions that researchers are exploring with economic experiments.

Here is what participants had to say about the workshop:

• “Great workshop. It kept my interest due to the always changing pace between lab experiments and lecture. The format really allowed me to get an appreciation for being a subject as well as what to consider as a researcher. GREAT WORKSHOP!”

• “Enjoyed it very much and now I feel even more “embedded” and I am really looking forward to working on my research”

• “I do hope (expect) to continue and build on the relationships I have made in this short week, both with the faculty and the other participants. Thank you for everything! It was an incredible week and I look forward to keeping in touch!”

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.