Each year since 1989, accomplished doctoral students from North America have been invited to present their research at research institutions in Europe on the REStud Tour – to promote the work of leading young economists, and help foster transatlantic academic collaboration. This year, seven doctoral students presented their research over two days each at the University of Bristol, Stockholm University in Sweden, and the University of Padua in Italy.
On May 15 and 16, we enjoyed two days of presentations of rigorous research on a range of topics at the historical Wills Memorial Building in Bristol, in addition to various social events in the city.
Day one of the event began with Lea Nagel (Stanford University) presenting her research on market design. She was followed by Oscar Volpe (University of Chicago), who talked about wage-setting power among firms. George Nikolakoudis (Princeton University) presented on the role of information frictions and the input/output structure of the economy in mediating macroeconomic shocks. Leonardo D’Amico (Harvard University) discussed the role of capital market integration in explaining regional growth patterns in the United States.
Day two featured three more presentations, starting with Nicolas Longuet-Marx (Columbia University) on the drivers of the realignment of blue-collar voters towards right-wing parties. He was followed by Rebekah Dix (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) on cancer treatment innovation. Lastly, Tishara Garg (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) talked about the role of coordination in driving industrialization in the context of industrial zones in India.
All the talks were well attended by academics and PhD students, both from the University of Bristol and beyond, and sparked lively discussions.
In addition to the academic programme, the REStud visitors enjoyed a range of social activities – to showcase the city and allow for networking and discussion with Bristol academics and PhD students. These included a guided walking tour of the city, a boat trip along the River Avon, and a dinner with members of the school.
Dr Sebastian Ellingsen, one of the lead organisers for the visit, commented: “We are proud to have taken part in this event this year. We’re all looking forward to seeing how the research of our visitors evolves in the coming years.”