The Economics Department held its Preliminary Senior Thesis Abstract Presentations on November 19 in the Reese Room at Smith House, with Professor Carol Clark leading the senior thesis program and moderating the session. Six seniors shared their early-stage research with faculty and peers.
The program started with Nik DeAngelo’s (advised by Professor Halladay) presentation on his project on how behavioral factors and institutional values shape career choices among economics graduates at elite liberal arts colleges.
Then, James McGarry (advised by Professor Shikaki) discussed his analysis of job quality in Connecticut’s labor market using the Job Quality Index and labor force indicators to capture dynamics overlooked by the headline unemployment rate.
Ellery Campbell (advised by Professor Halladay) outlined an experimental study testing whether clear betting odds and brief pre-wager pauses can reduce risky sports betting among college students.
Iqra Athar (advised by Professor Zelada-Aprili and Mutlugün) presented her examination of how IMF programs influence Pakistan’s short-term external vulnerabilities and long-term development constraints, using a mixed-methods approach and a Short-Term Vulnerability Index.
Ali Gall (advised by Professor Stater) introduced his instrumental variables analysis on how salary cap concentration affects team performance in the NFL.
Finally, Ryan Challice (advised by Professor Halladay) described his study on how different tariff-related labels influence U.S. consumer preferences for domestic versus foreign goods.
We are proud of the scholarly curiosity and dedication our thesis students have already shown. Their projects promise to make meaningful contributions, and we look forward to their continued progress throughout the year.
