UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH PROGRAM

WEAI has launched an initiative to give outstanding undergraduate economists a glimpse into a potential future of graduate studies and a career as an economist. This program is offered exclusively to WEAI Institutional Member universities. In its inaugural year, there were sixteen applicants from which four finalists were select. Those finalists presented their research at the 99th Annual Conference in Seattle where a panel of three judges selected Timila Kulkarni (University of Washington) the inaugural winner.

For 2025, WEAI invites submissions of undergraduate student research proposals for a special session at the 100th Annual Conference, June 20-25, 2025, in San Francisco, California.

The deadline for submission of research proposals is February 1, 2025. The online proposal form will require the following:

1. What is the research or policy question you plan to address?
2. A review of two papers closely related to the research you plan to conduct (no more than two-page PDF for upload).
3. Explain the research plan. How do you plan to replicate or extend the work you have reviewed? What models are the focus of your analysis? What methods will enable you to compare the validity of alternative models? For example, will you use econometrics, simulations, or experimental evidence to test the economic model against the real world?
4. What resources or data will enable you to explore your research question? Do you already have the data and if so, please describe it including time frame and geographical scope.
5. What results do you expect to have by the WEAI meetings?

Note: An undergraduate submission may be co-authored with other students, however, only one student will be allowed to present. Authors that have graduated within the last six months may also submit proposals to this program.

If accepted, you will be assigned to a four-paper session with other undergraduate students. A faculty member will be assigned to prepare a brief discussion of your paper following your presentation. You will have up to 20 minutes to present your research and there will be 5-10 minutes for discussion. Selected students will receive a complimentary conference registration but will be responsible for their own travel expenses.

WEAI will award $1,000 to the best undergraduate student paper presented at the meetings, and three finalists will each receive $250. (Best paper award criteria includes quality of written paper, quality of presentation, and clarity in responding to questions from the audience.) 

• Deadline to submit application: February 15, 2025
• Decision emails to applicants: March 15, 2025
• Preliminary conference program posted: April 15, 2025
• Papers uploaded for distribution to judges and finalists: June 1, 2025
• Finalists present at 100th Annual Conference: June 22, 2025 @ 8:15 am
• Winner announced at Presidential Luncheon: June 22, 2025 @ 12:15 pm

Questions? Contact help@weai.org.

Check back in December for a link to the application portal for the 2025 program!