Expanding Diversity in Economics Program Moves to Booth

The Expanding Diversity in Economics (EDE) program is thrilled to announce its new home at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Founded in 2021 by the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Research (BFI) to diversify the pool of students pursuing degrees and careers in economics, the program will now be known as Expanding Diversity in Economics+ (EDE+) as it seeks to broaden its impact

Under the direction of Pietro Veronesi—deputy dean of faculty at Booth, cofounder of Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers (PREDOC), and a champion of diversity in research—EDE+ will continue to fulfill its mission of expanding opportunities for students underrepresented in economics and related fields. Residing at Booth will enable EDE+ to leverage unparalleled faculty expertise and resources, broaden its reach, and provide budding researchers with the skills they need to thrive in an array of quantitative social science fields.

“As we transition to our new home at Chicago Booth, we are excited to expand EDE+ to foster research careers in a broader set of quantitative social sciences,” says Veronesi. “Booth’s commitment to world-class interdisciplinary research and diverse perspectives makes it the ideal partner for EDE+ as we continue to empower the next generation of scholars and leaders.”

EDE+ remains committed to its strong partnerships with BFI and the Hutchins Center for Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution. BFI will continue to support the program’s mission, with Quentin Johnson maintaining his role as EDE+ program director, guiding vision and outreach. The Hutchins Center will also continue its pivotal role by hosting a week of immersive programming in Washington, DC, where participants will gain exposure to a wide array of important economic policies, meet with policy leaders, and explore the critical role of research in shaping these policies.

“We strive to show undergrads how economists and other social scientists are fashioning, promoting, and implementing evidence-based policies that affect the lives of people across the world,” says David Wessel, director of the Hutchins Center. “Participants will see the direct relationship between rigorous research and policymaking.”

Key Program Enhancements

The 2025 EDE+ Summer Institute will feature a combination of in-person and remote programming across nine weeks, starting with a week-long virtual bootcamp. Two weeks of in-residence programming will follow: one week in Washington, DC, with the Hutchins Center, and one week in Chicago at Booth.

These immersive experiences will lead into six weeks of synchronous, online evening programming that’s designed to guide participants through the research process, culminating in a research project and presentation. Participants will be invited to present their findings at a research and networking conference in Washington, DC hosted by PREDOC. The program will also help participants explore opportunities to gain publishing credit as part of the summer experience.

The program will continue to concentrate on economics and its rigorous analytical tools and frameworks for addressing complex social challenges. Students interested in economics are welcome to apply, as well as those considering complementary fields in the quantitative social sciences such as business, finance, sociology, political science, and data science.