Three Lafayette students presented the results of their honors research at the 18th Ursinus College Omicron Delta Epsilon Business and Economics Conference held April 20.
For the past six years, Lafayette students have attended the conference. This year, economics & business and mathematics double majors Ko Ko Maung ‘07 (Tharkayta Yangon, Myanmar) andThuy Lan Nguyen ’07 (Hanoi, Vietnam), and economics and business major Anthony Badillo ’07 (Easton, Pa.) were three of 26 students from seven colleges who attended the conference.
Maung presented “Government Determinants of Economic Growth in East and Southeast Asia.” Nguyen, who also presented at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research April 12-14, discussed “The Environment’s Impact on Growth.” Badillo presented “Out of the Barrio: A Generational Analysis of Hispanic Labor Market Progress.”
In addition to presenting their own research, the students served as discussants, providing constructive criticism to other students who presented their papers.
“I think the conference is really important because it provides a professional venue for presenting the students’ research,” says Susan Averett, Dana Professor and head of economics and business. “I am always impressed by the level of the scholarship presented here both by our students and by the other students, all of whom are undergraduates, at this conference.
“It has always been fun for me to take them down there and watch them present their work – it builds their confidence to see how well-received their studies are. I think Ursinus has latched on to a great idea with this conference, and I am proud that Lafayette students have become regular participants.”
In addition to Lafayette and Ursinus, presenters came from Penn State University, Villanova University, East Stroudsburg University, Saint Joseph’s University, and The College of New Jersey. Topics will include wages and incomes, environmental challenges, social policy, education, comparative economic systems, financial policy, and trade and globalization.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Twenty-one students have been accepted to present their research at this year’s conference.