The Great Recession left a deep mark on the American economy, most notably on the labor market. While this market is recovering, progress is very slow and many Americans remain in search of a job. Furthermore, current labor market trends are highly unexpected, leaving many economists looking for a definitive explanation. Mihai Dohotaru ’13, a recipient of a Summer Levitt Research Fellowship Grant, will work toward the answer with Professor of Economics Christophre Georges over the course of his project “The Housing Bubble and the U.S. Labor Market after the ‘Great Recession.’”

For the past several years, the economic downturn has been making headlines, and so it seems uncommon to study a market specifically for its stability. Yet this is precisely how Mao Ding ’14, a recipient of a 2011 Emerson Summer Grant, plans to spend his summer, researching the reasons behind the surprising steadiness of the Chinese real estate market, which was expected to collapse in 2008 or 2009.

Assistant Professor of Economics Emily Conover was invited to present her research on informal labor markets in Colombia at the Sixth IZA/World Bank Employment and Development Conference, May 30-June 1, in Mexico City. The theme of the conference was social insurance and labor markets in developing countries.

Many people agree that climate change is a serious and immediate threat facing the planet, but far fewer offer the initiative, dedication and hard work that it takes to enact change. Yet this is exactly how Yinghan Ding ’12, recipient of a 2011 Levitt Research Fellowship Grant, plans to spend his summer, alongside Lecturer in Economics Margaret Morgan-Davie. Ding will conduct research on climate finance support in developing countries.

A paper co-authored by Derek Jones, Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics, was recently published online in Oxford Economic Papers.

Hamilton’s highest awards for teaching were presented at Class & Charter Day on May 6 to  Professor of Economics Elizabeth Jensen, Professor of English and Creative Writing Doran Larson, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies Anne Lacsamana and Assistant Professor of Philosophy Russell Marcus. Frank Anechiarico '71, the Maynard-Knox Professor of Government and Law, was presented with the Sidney Wertimer Award by the Student Assembly.

Four members of the Hamilton faculty were recognized for their research and creative successes through the Dean's Scholarly Achievement Awards at Class & Charter Day on Friday, May 6. The awards were established in three categories by former Dean of Faculty Joe Urgo in 2008.

Assistant Professor of Economics Emily Conover published a paper "Manipulation of Social Program Eligibility" (co-authored with Adriana Camacho)  in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Vol. 3, Issue 2, May 2011.

Arpita Banerjee, visiting assistant professor of economics, gave an invited seminar at the Political Economy Workshop at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, on April 26.  Her talk was titled “The Different Economy of Indian Self-Employed Sector.”

Derek Jones, the Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics, gave an invited keynote address “Assessing Mondragon: Stability and Managed Change in the face of Globalization” at the First International Conference on Co-operatives, Kish, Iran.