Research Article

Dare to Experiment: The Synergistic Relationship Between Undergraduate Research and Experimental Economics

Carl Nelson-Poteet(a) , Lusi Xie(b), Kent D. Messer(a), and Leah H. Palm-Forster(a)
(a)University of Delaware, (b)University of Georgia

JEL Codes: JEL Codes: A22, C9, D9, Q2, Q5
Keywords: Diversity, experimental economics, mentoring, pipeline, undergraduate research

Publish Date: September 25, 2024

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Abstract

Little attention has been given to the synergistic relationship that can exist between experimental economics research and undergraduate research experiences. In this article, we highlight the successes and challenges from working with more than 70 undergraduate research assistants at the University of Delaware’s Center for Experimental and Applied Economics (CEAE) since 2007. We describe our approaches for funding and engaging undergraduate students and efforts, including our layered mentorship network, to support CEAE’s mission to cultivate a diverse and inclusive research community. We present the results of a survey of CEAE’s alumni to understand how their research experiences influenced their undergraduate education and their post-graduate educational and career endeavors. Synthesizing the reflections of students and the experiences of lead researchers, we outline ten key recommendations regarding how faculty and administrators in agricultural and applied economics programs can design and implement successful undergraduate research experiences, strengthening the pipeline of researchers in our field.

About the Author: Carl Nelson-Poteet is a Graduate Student at the University of Delaware. Lusi Xie is an Assistant Professor at University of Georgia. Kent D. Messer is the S. Hallock du Pont Professor at the University of Delaware. Leah H. Palm-Forster is an Associate Professor at the University of Delaware (Corresponding Author Email: leahhp@udel.edu)

Acknowledgments: We would like to express our sincere gratitude for the tremendous support from past and present faculty and staff of the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics (APEC) at UD and APEC department chairs (Tom Ilvento, Titus Awokuse, and Martin Heintzelman); past and present deans of UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Robin Morgan, Mark Rieger, Calvin Keeler, and Brian Farkas); past and present CEAE staff members (Ann Alvarado, Aisha Emory, Judy Free, Katie Fry, Lindsey Kelley, and Maddi Valinski); past and present CEAE postdoctoral researchers; and the many amazing undergraduate, graduate, and high school students who have contributed to research supported by CEAE since 2007. Support for this research has come from the following sources: USDA NIFA (CBEAR #2019-67023-29854), NSF (Project WiCCED #1757353), and the S. Hallock du Pont Endowment. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at UD (2057782-2).

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