Research at EDG

Interested in developing your research and analytical skills?

Conduct semester-long research with a partner on an economic development topic of your choice.

Weekly workshops will cover:

  1. Finding an appropriate research question, structuring your research paper, and how to communicate effectively

  2. Gathering and processing datasets in Python. Exploratory data analysis, data visualization, and using machine learning libraries. 

  3. Macroeconomics: monetary and fiscal policy, trade policy, exchange rates, fixing market failures. 

  4. Finance and Strategy: financial accounting, organizational strategy and business drivers, corporate finance. 

Deliverables include a completed research paper and an end-of-semester presentation.

Explore our tracks!

  • Students will select a broad macroeconomic topic (e.g. trade policy, foreign exchange policy, environmental market failures, etc.) and analyze its effect on economic development in a particular region.

    • A sample question for this track could be: How effective could tradable pollution permits be in India to mitigate pollution? 

    This track is suitable for students interested in careers in law, policy research, journalism, graduate school in economics, and similar paths. 

  • This track is intended to give students a grounding in business fundamentals, examining the idea of “what makes a good business?”.

    • Students will choose one public company to analyze for the whole semester, and study how this company has contributed to, or hindered, the economic development of a particular region.

    • Students will examine the fundamental operational and financial drivers of their business from the eyes of a consultant or equity analyst, and devise a strategy to improve their chosen company’s impact on economic development.

    • A sample question for this track could be: How can Patagonia improve its conservation efforts in Alaska?

    This track is suitable for students interested in consulting, finance (particularly equity research and investment banking), and similar paths.

Spring ‘25

Macro Track

Business Track

Fall 2023

Check out our Research Journal from the Fall of 2023! Research Topics include:

  • Assessing the Impact and Financial Incentives of Emissions Trading Schemes

  • Women’s Role in Improving the UN SDG for Clean Water and Sanitation

  • Good vs. Bad Debt: Quantifying the Effects of Foreign Aid and Investment in Developing Economies

Spring 2024

Check out our Research Journal from the Spring of 2024! Research Topics include:

  • The Emergence of Fintech in Alternative Credit Scoring & Evolving Regulatory Environments

  • Analyzing the Roles and Impacts of ECOWAS, EBID, and IMF in Western Africa: Nigeria's Perspective

Fall 2021

Check out our Research Journal from the Fall of 2021! Research Topics include:

  • Effects of Urbanization on Agriculture in Nigeria

  • Living Standards of Laborers in China

  • Influence of Oil Prices on Renewable Energy Investments

  • Impact of E-Commerce on Development in South Asian Countries

  • Impact of Police Reform Policies on Crime Rate

Spring 2023

Check out our Research Journal from the Spring of 2023! Research Topics include:

  • The Trajectory of Nuclear Energy Considering the Current State Alongside Sector Innovations

  • Understanding the effects of the food service industry on economic development, particularly employment and job creation, through different boroughs in New York.

  • Feasibility of Tradable Pollution Permits In Developing Indian Economies Through International Case Analysis

Fall 2019

Check out our inaugural Research Journal from the Fall of 2019! Research Topics include:

  • Impact of Chinese Foreign Investment in East Africa on Trade Growth

  • Effect of China’s National Sword Policy on the US Recycling Industry

  • Effect of Mobile Banking on Overall Banking Security

Fall 2020

Check out our Research Journal from the Fall of 2020! Research Topics include:

  • Impact of Pandemics on Female Education

  • Impact of Corporate Tax Rates on US-China Relations

  • Impact of Neoliberal Policies on Food Insecurity