phd in economics university of chicago

PhD in Political Economy

The field of political economy applies tools such as game theory and empirical methods for causal inference to the study of political institutions and behavior. The University of Chicago’s new PhD program in political economy offers an extraordinary opportunity to develop these skills in preparation for a career in academia. Staffed by an outstanding group of  faculty  in the Department of Political Science and the Harris School of Public Policy, this program provides accelerated training in formal theory and statistical methods alongside deep engagement with political science. With a supportive faculty, a  curriculum  expressly tailored to questions in political economy, immersion in the  rich seminar culture  of the University of Chicago, and strong financial support, students in this select program get an early start on research and writing. There is no better place to study political economy.

Faculty in political economy at Chicago have research interests in a broad range of empirical and theoretical topics. We encourage students to pursue research wherever their intellectual interests lie, whether that means working within an established scholarly tradition or exploring new topics from the perspective of political economy. Prospective students submit a single  application  directly to the Ph.D. program in political economy.

In The Spotlight:

American Political Science Review (APSR)

Profs. Monika Nalepa and Andrew Eggers join editorial team for APSR.

Learn more about APSR here ...

Education and Resilience in Kyiv

Under siege, the Kyiv School of Economics has managed to expand, track Russia’s war debt, and build bomb shelters for schoolchildren. Two University of Chicago professors witnessed that resilience while teaching there this year.

Read more about Kyiv ...

Will Howell’s Guggenheim

Prof. William Howell is a leading political scientist who has written widely on separation-of-powers issues and American political institutions, especially the presidency.

Read more about Will Howell ...

This Website Uses Cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

This website uses cookies to ensure the best user experience. Privacy & Cookies Notice Accept Cookies

Manage My Cookies

Manage Cookie Preferences

Confirm My Selections

• The Journal of Accounting Research
• Give to the Center

Current PhD Students

• Recent PhD Graduates

Roope Keloharju

Roope earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the University of Oxford and his master’s degree in Accounting, Organisations and Institutions from the London School of Economics. Prior to starting the PhD program at Chicago Booth, he worked in management consulting as a summer intern at PwC and BCG in London and Helsinki respectively as well as helped a non-profit expand their operations into Finland. Outside of academia, Roope enjoys training parkour and mixed martial arts, hiking in nature, urban exploration, and occasionally making videos of memorable moments and his training progression.

Email Roope Roope's CV Roope's Website

Maria Khrakovsky

Maria Khrakovsky received her bachelor's degrees in accounting and French, as well as a master's degree in accounting, from The Ohio State University. Afterwards, she worked as a Postgraduate Technical Assistant at the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Prior to joining the PhD program at Chicago Booth, Maria worked for EY where she was a member of the Financial Accounting Advisory Services group, specializing in helping clients with accounting standard implementation (including Revenue Recognition and Leases). In her spare time, she enjoys singing, traveling, and exploring Chicago's thriving restaurant scene.

Email Maria Maria's CV Maria's Website

Fabian Nagel

Fabian earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Mannheim in 2017 and an M.Sc. in Finance and Economics from the London School of Economics. Prior to joining the PhD program in accounting, Fabian was as a Research Professional at Chicago Booth. During his free time, he enjoys skiing, bouldering, and playing tennis.

Email Fabian Fabian's CV Fabian's Website

Hristiana Vidinova

Hristiana earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Sofia University and master’s degree specializing in economics from the University of Chicago. Her prior experience includes working as a macroeconomist at the Ministry of Finance Agency for Economic Analysis and Forecasting and later at Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria). She also worked as an analytics consultant at Experian where she specialized in credit risk, stress testing and IFRS9. In her spare time, Hristiana is passionate about dancesport, painting, hiking, skiing and many other activities.

Email Hristiana Hristiana's CV Hristiana's Website

Jonas Dalmazzo

Email Jonas

Email Yvonne

Grant Hayes

Grant earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and statistics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2018. Prior to joining the PhD program at Chicago Booth, Grant worked as a research assistant for labor economists Eddie Lazear and Kathryn Shaw at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In his spare time, Grant enjoys running and long distance hiking.

email grant

Jingyu Zhang

Jingyu earned her bachelor’s degree in Finance and Computer Science from Wuhan University, a master’s degree in Finance from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Chicago. She was a Research Professional at Chicago Booth prior to joining the PhD program in accounting. Outside of academia, she worked for Allianz Global Investors and Bank of China (Hong Kong). In her spare time, Jingyu enjoys playing the piano, hiking and origami art.

email Jingyu

Jewel Evans

Jewel earned her bachelor’s degree in Managerial Sciences from Georgia State University and her master’s degree in Accounting from Wake Forest University. Before joining the PhD program at Booth, Jewel worked as a CPA for over six years in the US and Sweden, most of which was with the Big 4 within audit and accounting advisory.

In her spare time, Jewel enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and rum tasting.

Email Jewel

Ginha received a bachelor's degree in Economics and Mathematics from New York University and a master's degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in Economics from the University of Chicago. Prior to joining the PhD program, she worked as a research professional at Chicago Booth.

In her spare time, Ginha enjoys cooking, playing golf, and wine tasting.

Email Ginha

Pietro Ramella

Email Pietro

Andrew McKinley

Andrew earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago in 2013 and is pursuing his Juris Doctor at Stanford Law School concurrent with his studies at Chicago Booth.

Before law school, Andrew spent several years working on proprietary and hedge fund trading desks. He was also a Research Scholar at New York University School of Law, where he contributed to various research projects in law and economics.

Most recently, Andrew interned as a summer associate at Fenwick & West LLP, where he worked in startups, M&A, and cryptocurrencies.

In his leisure time, Andrew enjoys hiking, surfing, and basketball.

Email Andrew

Samuel Chang

Samuel received his bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Economics with a concentration in Actuarial Science from Western Kentucky University and his master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining Booth, Samuel has worked on research in applied mathematics, psychology, biology, information systems, financial education, corporate finance, financial accounting, and auditing. He is currently interested in banking, nonprofit accounting, and a variety of ESG-related issues.   Outside of academia, he enjoys playing piano, traveling, playing tennis, and volunteer teaching at local schools in his hometown. He is also committed to church service, and he leads the choir and a bible study group at his local church.

Email Samuel

Alex received his bachelor's degree in business administration and economics from Seoul National University. He also holds a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the same institution. His research examines information processing of investors and the use of unstructured information in the capital market. Outside of academia, Alex enjoys playing the piano and cooking.

Laura received her bachelor's degree in management with a concentration in accounting from Tsinghua University. Her professional background includes roles in investment banking and private equity investment. Prior to joining the PhD program at Chicago Booth, Laura worked as a research fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. In her spare time, Laura enjoys cooking, skiing and wildlife photography.

Email Laura

Hanbyul Yoon

Hanbyul earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Kookmin University and then completed her master's in Economics at Penn State University. During her master's studies, she developed a specific interest in labor economics, focusing particularly on maternal job decision-making. In her leisure time, she enjoys practicing yoga, ballet, and cooking.

Email Hanbyul

Your browser is unsupported

We recommend using the latest version of IE11, Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Ph.d. in economics.

Our doctoral program provides rigorous training in modern theory and data analysis. We are particularly strong in the fields of applied microeconomics, especially labor economics, education, economic development, public finance and health economics, and also international macroeconomics. Our graduates work as university professors, conduct policy analysis in government agencies and non-governmental organizations, and work in leading private sectors firms.

We enroll about 10 new doctoral students per year and the modest size of our program allows us to have small classes, provide support to our students, and have a lot of student-faculty interaction. About half of our students are from the United States and the other half come from all over the world.

We are particularly excited about the young faculty members who we were able to recruit to teach at UIC over the last few years. They, along with our senior faculty, help create a lively intellectual atmosphere and ensure our students have sufficient training and mentoring to do great work. A distinguishing feature of our department is a high level of faculty research collaboration with graduate students. Over the past three years graduate students have coauthored articles with faculty that have been published in the  Economic Journal , the  Journal of Labor Economics , the  Journal of Health Economics , and the  Economics of Education Review . We also have three weekly research seminars where external scholars and UIC faculty and students present and discuss their work.

Upcoming Prospective Student Webinars Heading link Copy link

Sign up for our mailing list, phd page links heading link copy link.

• Prerequisites
• Frequently Asked Questions

Eyo I. Herstad

Contact  information:

Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics

University of Chicago

5757 S. University Avenue

Chicago, IL  60637

Email:  eyoherstad[at]uchicago[dot]edu

I'm a recent Ph.D. graduate in Economics at the University of Chicago. 

In 2024 I will start as an Assistant Professor in the Econometric Institute at Erasmus University. Before that I will be a postdoc at Ohio State University. 

My research interests include applied econometrics, labor economics and the economics of education, with a special focus on network effects.

You can find my CV here , information about my research here and my teaching here . 

UK Police Share Family Tribute To Indian PhD Student Killed In London

The police also released a statement on behalf of Cheistha Kochhar's family, which praises her "deep intelligence" and "sprightly demeanour" which won her many friends.

The police said Kochhar was pursuing her PhD in behavioural research at the London School of Economics.

The Metropolitan Police in London on Tuesday officially named a former NITI Aayog employee Cheistha Kochhar as the 33-year-old woman who was killed in a road collision in north London while she cycled back home from London School of Economics (LSE).

There have been no arrests a week after the incident, police said.

The police said Kochhar, who was pursuing her PhD in behavioural research at the LSE, died following a collision involving a refuse lorry on Clerkenwell Road near the junction with Farringdon Road on March 19 evening.

The force said enquiries into the circumstances of the collision are ongoing as officers continue to appeal for witnesses and for any road users with dashcam footage from the scene to come forward.

"Cheistha was cycling when she was involved in a collision with a refuse lorry – the lorry stopped at the scene and the driver is helping police with their enquiries. There has been no arrest and enquiries into the circumstances continue," the Met Police said.

"She always had a hug to spare for anyone and she lived her life with the principle that it was more important to be the kindest person in the room, than to be the smartest person in the room. In the short span she had on this planet, she touched tens of thousands of people in extremely meaningful ways and the magnitude of this loss is incomprehensible," the family tribute reads.

Cheistha was born in Bareilly in 1990 and graduated high school from the Convent of Jesus and Mary, New Delhi. After graduating from Delhi University with a BA in Economics and Mathematics in 2008, she went on to finish the PGP in Liberal Arts as a Young India Fellow from Ashoka University and then did another post-graduation from the University of Chicago in International Development and Policy (MAIDP).

"She had also started a couple of Start-Ups, first as an undergraduate to distribute excess food from college canteens to the needy and later to create opportunities for the unemployed underprivileged section of the New Delhi society. She also worked with McKinsey and the University of Chicago and last worked at NITI Aayog of India (formerly Planning Commission), where she established the National Behavioural Insights Unit of India as a Senior Advisor. All this happened before she turned 32," the family statement shares.

"In spite of her experience as a practitioner and an executive, she had the heart of an academician, having worked and collaborated with Nobel laureates, and she finally came to London as a PhD Scholar in LSE. Even though these were early stages of her PhD, she was sure to work on studying and improving collaboration between various pro-social organisations to tackle the grand challenges that countries from the Global South face. She was an ardent patriot and wanted to bring all her expertise back to India to change lives," it concludes.

Earlier, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant took to social media to shower praise on Kochhar, who had moved from Gurugram to London in September last year to enroll as a Doctorate Candidate at the LSE.

Kant said: "Cheistha Kochhar worked with me on the #LIFE [Lifestyle for the Environment] programme in NITI Aayog. She was in the #Nudge unit and had gone to do her PhD in behavioural science at LSE. Passed away in a terrible traffic incident while cycling in London. She was bright, brilliant & brave and always full of life. Gone away too early. RIP." Kochhar served as Senior Advisor at the National Behavioural Insights Unit of India for nearly two years until April last year, before moving to London with her software engineer husband Prashant Gautam.

"I am still in London trying to collect the remains of my daughter, Cheistha Kochhar. She was run over by a truck on 19 March while cycling back from LSE, where she was doing her PhD," her father Lieutenant General Dr S P Kochhar, Director General at the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said in an emotional post on LinkedIn.

"It has devastated us and her large circle of friends," he said, along with a link to an online memorial page created in her memory.

Promoted Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com

The memorial page opens with a quote from Cheistha, which reads: "What we create should last longer than we do," and is followed by several moving tributes posted by friends and family.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Track Budget 2023 and get Latest News Live on NDTV.com.

Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world .

Track Latest News and Election Results Coverage Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.

Watch Live News:

World-changing. Path-breaking. History-making. 

The Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics prepares students for a future in world-changing research. The department boasts affiliations with numerous research centers and initiatives including the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics, the Center for the Economics of Human Development, the Development Innovation Lab, and more.

Our faculty are renowned for their seminal contributions to the field, achievements recognized with numerous Nobel Prizes, Clark Medals, and other distinctions. Thirty-three Nobel prizes in the field of economics have been awarded to individuals associated with the University; still, students in the department have the opportunity to interact daily with faculty who are passionate about continuing to shape the profession through collaboration and thoughtful instruction.

This Website Uses Cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

• Admitted Graduate Students
• Current Graduate Students
• Current Undergraduate Students

BC.EDU LINKS

• Boston College
• Campus Life
• Jesuit, Catholic
• Academic Calendar
• BC Magazine
• Directories
• Offices, Services, Resources
• Agora Portal
• Maps & Directions
• Ph.D. Program Requirements
• Financial Aid
• Research Facilities

Graduate Program

The Department of Economics at Boston College is an exciting community of scholars from many countries who pursue applied and theoretical research on the pressing economic and social issues that face the world in the 21st century. 

• Request Info

Graduate Brochure

Ph.D. Candidates Seeking Employment

Ph.D Program At a Glance

We have a full-time graduate faculty of 32 who have wide-ranging expertise in the field of economics.

Faculty Expertise

Small Cohort Size

With an average cohort of 16 full-time students per year, we're able to offer a broad range of courses while providing individual attention. 

STEM Options

The program has been classified as STEM (CIP Code 45.0603: Econometrics and Quantitative Economics). Students in STEM degree programs can apply for a 24 month STEM extension of F1 Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Requirements

Ph.D. requirements include course work, comprehensive examinations, a doctoral dissertation, and a one-year residence requirement.

Detailed Requirements

IDEAS  rankings, 2020

among U.S. economics departments

Where do our graduates work?

The doctoral program is designed to train economists for careers in teaching and research by providing strong backgrounds in economic theory, quantitative research methods and applied fields.

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Marco Brianti, 2021

Joe Cooprider, 2020

Santa Clara University

Vito Cormun, 2020

European Central Bank

Laura Gáti, 2021

The Brattle Group, Boston

Bogdan Genchev, 2020

Xiamen University

Liyang Hong, 2021

Analysis Group, Brussels

Krisztina Horvath, 2020

Renmin University, Beijing

Yushan Hu, 2020

University of Glasgow, Adam Smith Business School

Zafer Kanik, 2020

Harris School of Public Policy at University of Chicago (teaching position)

Navin Kumar, 2021

Christina Letsou, 2020

Analysis Group, Boston

Sajala Pandey, 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

How competitive is the program.

We receive about 400 applications, accept up to 10% and end up with an incoming class of about 15 students.  Chances for acceptance depend on the quality of the applicant pool for any given year.

How much will it cost?

 Accepted students are offered funding for five years consisting of a stipend and tuition remission. Continued funding year to year is dependent upon students achieving certain academic benchmarks for each year in the program. There are no forms to fill out and there is no special aid program for international students.

When can I start?

Students can begin the program only in the fall semester. 

Application Process

The admissions process works in this way: as the application deadline nears, the Admissions Committee begins to review all applications. Applications are reviewed as in a pool; i.e., decisions are made by taking all the applications for that year and comparing them. Each candidate's application is reviewed in its entirety and only complete applications will be considered.

Application Form

There is a $75 non-refundable required application fee that is used to process your application. You have the option to pay this online before submitting the application form. If you choose to wait to pay the fee, you will have the option to pay the fee through the  Portal . Alternatively you may send a $75 non-refundable check or money order, made payable to Trustees of Boston College to the processing center or directly to the Admissions office.

Fee Waiver Form

Academic Background

A strong training in mathematics is essential to be successful in our program; the minimum recommended courses are: three calculus courses, courses in linear and matrix algebra, a course in real analysis, and a “real” statistics course . The committee has found that achieving a score of at least 166 in the quantitative exam in the GRE is beneficial for success in the program (the accepted applicants' average score this year is 166); this is considered of prime importance in the evaluation of applications.

Statement of Purpose

We require a brief (1-2 pages) personal statement in which applicants should discuss their preparation, motivation, and goals for their proposed courses of study. If you have any questions about the statement please contact the department.

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation are required and may be submitted electronically with the application form. Recommendations may also be received in hard copy at the GSAS Admissions office as an alternative.

If you are presently employed, we recommend requesting letters from one or preferably two professors with whom you’ve studied in the past, particularly a math professor. Work experience is given no formal weight in evaluating an applicant’s chance for admission. Recommendation letters from employers tend to be flattering but uninformative. 

Letters on file with university placement offices are acceptable if sent directly by the university and signed by a placement official. Request that the recommendations be mailed with a signature across the envelope flap. If BC receives a recommendation with a broken seal the application may be disqualified. A recommender may prefer to mail his/her recommendation directly to us. If this is the case you should take whatever steps are necessary to verify that the recommendation has been sent to BC.

Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded to your online application form for purposes of application review. however, official transcript(s) must also be submitted upon acceptance/matriculation. both undergraduate and graduate transcripts are required..

Official transcripts should be sent to the following address:

Boston College, Lynch School of Education Data Processing Center P.O. Box 8027 Portsmouth, NH 03802

For FedEx or UPS shipments, please use this address:

Boston College, Lynch School of Education

Office of Graduate Admission, Financial Aid, and Student Services Campion Hall 135 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467

Standardized Tests

The GRE is required , general test only; the subject test is not required. Applications without GRE scores will be considered incomplete; decisions for acceptance will not be made without GRE scores. We accept only original score reports for the GRE & TOEFL and IELTS exams; no copies will be accepted. 

GRE scores are only official when submitted directly from ETS. We require scores of the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants who have not taken the GREs within the last five years should contact their intended department to see if more recent scores are required. The Graduate School recommends that you register for the GREs early so that the scores will be available when applying. For information regarding test dates, etc., contact:

The Graduate Record Examination ETS Princeton, New Jersey www.ets.org

A strong training in mathematics is essential to be successful in our program; the minimum recommended courses are: three calculus courses, courses in linear and matrix algebra, a course in real analysis, and a “real” statistics course. The committee has found that achieving a score of at least 166 in the quantitative exam in the GRE is beneficial for success in the program (the accepted applicants' average score this year is 166); this is considered of prime importance in the evaluation of applications.

Note:  If you have personal score reports available from earlier examinations you may include them with your application, however, you must request ETS to send official score reports to the Graduate School directly: Boston College, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences,  Code 3083 .

Application Status Check

If you submitted the application form online you should receive an E-mail from BC containing a user name and password to log into the Agora Portal. Through Agora you can check the status of your application by clicking on the Application Status tab. You must choose the correct school to which you applied. If you applied to a number of BC Graduate Schools, you will only receive one E-mail containing the above information.

If you did not receive an E-mail with credentials you can access the  Web Application Status Check  here. You will be asked to provide your assigned ID number or confirmation number you received from submitting the application form online.

Note: If you are submitting additional application items beyond a department-specified requirement (i.e. official transcripts from more than one institution or an extra letter of recommendation) please contact the GSAS  Admissions office  to ensure receipt of all items.

International Students

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences requires students who speak a native language other than English to provide evidence of English proficiency Evidence of English Proficiency through the TOEFL and IELTS. A score of 100 or higher on the TOEFL iBT test or 7.0 or higher on the IELTS test is required. TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid from exams taken a maximum of two years prior to application program deadlines. Remember to enter the Boston College School Code 3083 when taking the TOEFL exam to ensure GSAS receives your score report; If submitting the IELTS score report, please send results to the GSAS Admissions Office or designate GSAS as your score report recipient.

Proof of English proficiency is not required if:

• You are a citizen of Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an Anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean.
• You earned your prior college or university degree in the U.S. or one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting degree conferral from said institution.
• You are currently enrolled as a full-time student in a U.S. degree-granting program or at an American or English-speaking school in one of the countries listed above or at an institution whose official language of instruction is English and will have completed two academic years of college/university work before beginning your studies at BC. The language proficiency requirement will be waived from your application upon receipt of an official transcript noting two years/4 semesters completed at said institution.

There is a financial consideration involved for international students. Each year there is a specific amount of money which an international student must certify that he/she has to be able to live in this area of the United States; the amounts granted in the awards of assistantships and/or tuition remission do not equal this requirement. Students are required to make up the difference with funds from their own resources. If you are accepted into the program, the visa process cannot be initiated until the financial requirement has been satisfied. The Office of International Students and Scholars (Tel. 617-552-8005; e-mail: bcis@bc.edu ) make all decisions on the issuance of visas. Please communicate directly with them concerning visa matters.  

Learning Outcomes

• The department's Ph.D. students are expected to master advanced economic theory, research methods, and two economic subfields, and produce original contributions to the discipline so as to enjoy professionally rewarding careers in Economics. These include (i) tenure-track positions at high-quality Ph.D.-granting universities and/or the top primarily undergraduate colleges around the world, (ii) research positions in top non-academic research departments spanning domestic (e.g., U.S. Federal Reserve Banks), foreign (e.g., the European Central Bank), and international organizations (e.g., the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank), and (iii) employment in the private sector (e.g., leading consulting firms).
• Graduate students are expected to adhere to the principles of scientific integrity by responsibly using economic data and research methods and giving appropriate attribution to original work and source material.
• Graduate students selected to serve as teaching assistants or teaching fellows in the department's undergraduate program are expected to develop and apply best practice teaching methods.

Economics Department Maloney Hall, Third Floor

617-552-3670

Doing Your PhD in Energy and Environmental Economics at Harris

If you are considering a PhD in energy and environmental economics, or if you are a professor advising such a student, we encourage you to consider a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Between the large (and still growing!) energy and environmental faculty group within Harris, related faculty in other units, and the intellectual hub provided by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago ( EPIC ), we believe that Harris is one of the very best places for PhD students to come study research problems at the intersection of energy and the environment, in both the developed and developing world.

The faculty group focused on energy and the environment has grown substantially in the past few years. At Harris, you will have the opportunity to take courses from and work with Fiona Burlig , Steve Cicala , Eyal Frank , Michael Greenstone , Koichiro Ito , Amir Jina , Ryan Kellogg , and Bob Rosner . We are currently on the market for yet more faculty in this area.

The total size of a Harris PhD cohort is modest—roughly 10 students per year total—so that admitted students receive a level of personal attention from faculty that is unusual for programs of this caliber. Beyond the core Harris energy faculty, students also have the opportunity to work with and learn from Harris’s deep bench of applied microeconomists and political economists, including faculty such as Oendrila Dube and Austin Wright who have studied the relationship between energy resources and conflict. Outside of Harris, our students can work with and learn from faculty in other units who work on energy and the environment, including Thom Covert , Elizabeth Moyer , Mark Templeton , and Bob Topel .

Like all Harris PhDs, students focusing on energy and the environment take a rigorous first-year course sequence on economics, econometrics, and political science. In their second year, students then take a three-quarter sequence on energy and environmental economics. This sequence is currently taught by Professors Greenstone, Kellogg, and Ito. These second-year courses are complemented by a suite of options for additional coursework in other economic subfields and in applied econometrics. Our students regularly enroll in PhD courses offered by the University of Chicago’s Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics.

New for 2018-2019, students will be able to apply for a traineeship program in Data Science for Energy and Environmental Research , funded by a $3 million grant from the NSF. This program is aimed at Harris PhD students who are particularly interested in learning frontier data science methods and applying these tools to interdisciplinary problems at the intersection of food, energy, water, and the environment. Harris PhD students who are admitted as trainees will receive two years of tuition and stipend support through this program. All Harris PhDs will have access to courses and workshops offered through this traineeship, which will include interdisciplinary offerings in data science and the geosciences.

Beyond formal classroom training, the rich seminar culture at Chicago offers many opportunities to see presentations of cutting-edge research. Options include the EPIC energy and environment lunch workshop , Harris public policy and economics workshop , Harris development lunch , Becker-Friedman workshop , and Booth applied economics workshop , among others. Students have opportunities to obtain feedback on their own work at both the EPIC lunch and the Harris Monday PhD workshop .

We encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply. Our diverse faculty is a complementary resource that enables students to explore a wide range of research questions in energy and the environment. While we do expect our entering students to have a strong math background—multivariate calculus and statistical coursework are minima—do not let doubts about your technical training prevent you from applying. If we admit you, it’s because we think you’re smart enough to handle our technical PhD courses, and because we’re committed to providing the mathematical training you need.

Ryan Kellogg Professor and Deputy Dean for Academic Programs

Upcoming events, harris evening master's program class visit—economic analysis iii: public finance and budgeting with professor justin marlowe.

Convene 311 West Monroe St. 2nd Floor Reception Chicago , IL 60606 United States

Preparing for Harris: Research Assistantships

Campus visit.

1307 E 60th St Chicago , IL 60437 United States

You might also be interested in...

PKU-UChicago Summer School General Webinar

Student Profile, Dodi Duha, MPP Class of 2025

Masterclass with eyal frank, chicago centered series: environmental, social, and corporate governance (esg).

• How to Apply
• Why Public Policy
• Financial Aid
• Academic Advising
• Find a Job or Internship
• Disability Resources
• Room Reservations
• Academic Calendar
• Faculty Resources
• Faculty Access
• Human Resources
• News and Events
• Alumni Directory
• Get Involved

The University of Chicago The Law School

Gc roundtable, 2023 university of chicago general counsel roundtable agenda.

The 2023 University of Chicago General Counsel Roundtable is sponsored by Bartlit Beck LLP.

2023 Agenda

• 6:00pm - 9:00pm
• Bartlit Beck | 54 W Hubbard St., Suite 300, Chicago IL

Cocktails begin at 6:00 pm, and dinner will be served at 6:45 pm.

• 8:00am - 9:00am
• 8th Floor Lounge
• 9:00am - 9:15am
• Peter May Boardroom, 8th Floor

Thomas J. Miles, Dean, University of Chicago Law School

Jason Peltz, Managing Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP

• 9:15am - 10:30am

Priya Aiyar, American Airlines, Chief Legal Officer

Brett Gerry, Boeing, Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President of Global Compliance

Robert Rivkin, United Airlines, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Anne Robinson, Vanguard, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Moderated by Hajin Kim, University of Chicago Law School

CLE Documents:  Agency Objectives, Organization Change, and Optimizing Enforcement ,  Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors (S7-10-22)

• 10:45am - 12:00pm

Brent McIntosh, Citigroup, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Paul Grewal, Coinbase, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary

Damon Hart, Liberty Mutual, Chief Legal Officer 

Moderated by Adam Chilton, University of Chicago Law School

CLE Documents:  A Regulatory Classification of Digital Assets: Toward an Operational Howey Test for Cryptocurrencies, ICOs, and Other Digital Assets

• 12:00pm - 1:30pm
• City View Room, 10th Floor

Katherine Baicker, University of Chicago, Provost

• 1:30pm - 2:45pm

Julie Coletti, Align, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer

Raja Maharajh, Raytheon, General Counsel

Moderated by Asha Spencer, Bartlit Beck LLP

CLE Documents:  The General Counsel as Lawyer-Statesman

• 3:00pm - 3:45pm

Alex Dimitrief, Sotera Health, Senior Vice President and General Counsel

In Conversation with Tony Casey, University of Chicago Law School

Beethoven's genes reveal low predisposition for beat synchronization

What the exceptional composer's dna tells us about genetics.

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in human history, has a rather low genetic predisposition for beat synchronization, according to a Current Biology study co-authored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and theMax Planck Institutes for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

The question of to what extent are exceptional human achievements influenced by genetic factors dates back to the early days of human genetics but seems to be easier to address today as modern molecular methods make it possible to analyze DNA of individuals throughout history.

An international team of researchers analyzed Beethoven's DNA to investigate his genetic musical predisposition, an ability closely related to musicality, by using sequences from a 2023 study in which the composer's genetic material was extracted from strands of his hair.

"For Beethoven, we used his recently sequenced DNA to calculate a polygenic score as an indicator for his genetic predisposition for beat synchronization," said Tara Henechowicz, B.Mus.Hons, M.A., a current PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto, recent visiting graduate student with the Vanderbilt Human Genetics Program, and the paper's second author.

"Interestingly, Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in history, had an unremarkable polygenic score for general musicality compared to population samples from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Vanderbilt's BioVU Repository," she said.

The authors noted that it would be wrong to conclude from Beethoven's low polygenic score that his musical abilities were unexceptional.

"Our aim was to use this as an example of the challenges of making genetic predictions for an individual who lived over 200 years ago," Henechowicz said.

"The mismatch between the DNA-based prediction and Beethoven's musical genius provides a valuable teaching moment, because it demonstrates that DNA tests cannot give us a definitive answer about whether a given child will end up being musically gifted."

Henechowicz said the study does not discount that DNA contributes to people's musical skills, noting that prior studies have found an average heritability, which is the proportion of individual differences explained by all genetic factors, of 42% for musicality.

"In the current era of 'big data' such as Vanderbilt's BioVU repository, we have had the opportunity to look in fine detail at large groups of people to uncover the genetic underpinnings of traits such as rhythm ability or being musically active. The current study and other recent work also suggest that environment plays a key role in musical ability and engagement as well," said co-author Reyna Gordon, PhD, associate professor of Otolaryngology at VUMC and graduate co-advisor to Henechowicz.

"Polygenic scores are intended to work well for comparisons of large groups of people to tell us how genetic risk for one trait relates to the genetics involved in other traits," Henechowicz said.

• Intelligence
• Relationships
• Social Psychology
• Consumer Behavior
• Neurobiology
• Homosexuality
• Social psychology
• Collaboration
• Psycholinguistics

Story Source:

Materials provided by Vanderbilt University Medical Center . Original written by Craig Boerner. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference :

• Laura W. Wesseldijk, Tara L. Henechowicz, David J. Baker, Giacomo Bignardi, Robert Karlsson, Reyna L. Gordon, Miriam A. Mosing, Fredrik Ullén, Simon E. Fisher. Notes from Beethoven’s genome . Current Biology , 2024; 34 (6): R233 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.01.025

Cite This Page :

Explore More

• Supermassive Black Holes Awakened
• Beethoven's Genes: Low Beat Synchronization
• Common Household Chemicals Threat to Brain?
• Tiniest 'Starquake' Ever Detected
• Amazing Archive of Ancient Human Brains
• Night-Time Light and Stroke Risk
• Toward Secure Quantum Communication Globally
• Artificial Nanofluidic Synapses: Memory
• 49 New Galaxies Discovered in Under Three Hours
• Rays Surprisingly Diverse 150 Million Years Ago

Trending Topics

Strange & offbeat.