Due Date: January 29, 2025
Founded in 2021 by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Research (BFI) to diversify the pool of students pursuing degrees and careers in economics, the program will now be known as Expanding Diversity in Economics+ (EDE+) as it seeks to broaden its impact. The 2025 Summer Institute will offer a comprehensive exposure, experience, and education into economic analysis and research careers through a combination of both in-person and remote programming from June 2-July 30, 2025.
Programming features a weeklong virtual skill-building bootcamp, followed by two weeks of in-residence programming: One in Washington, DC, and the other in Chicago. These engaging experiences will lead into a six-week synchronous, online summer course designed to guide participants through the research process, concluding with a research project and presentation. Participants will also be invited to attend and present their findings at a research and networking conference in Washington, DC hosted by PREDOC.org. Opportunities to gain publishing credit are also available as part of the summer experience.
EDE+ will continue to concentrate on economics and its rigorous analytical tools and frameworks for addressing complex social challenges. But it will now also seek to foster a path toward a research career through a unique interdisciplinary approach from its new home at Chicago Booth, exposing students to leading researchers in economics and related fields such as finance, accounting, behavioral science, and marketing to inspire students to ask questions that can change the world.
Students who successfully complete EDE+ will receive a stipend of $2,000, with all travel, housing, and group activities covered for on-campus programming in Washington, DC and Chicago, with associated costs for the undergraduate research conference.
Who Should Apply?
Students enrolled in an accredited, undergraduate, degree-granting institution in the United States are eligible to apply. Participants must be 18 years old by the program start date of June 2, 2025, and the ideal applicant will be a college freshman or sophomore with an interest in learning more about economics and an aptitude for quantitative coursework. Our goal is to recruit a diverse group of students from a broad range of backgrounds.
Each year, EDE+ admits a cohort of up to 45 students. Upon completion of the Summer Institute, participants become part of the broader EDE+ alumni network.
The EDE+ Research Assistant Program is an opportunity for alumni to enhance their skills and experience, and prepare them for graduate work in economics. The RA program has made more than 40 matches between EDE+ alumni and UChicago faculty from 2022-2024.
