Becker Friedman Institute Supports 46 Summer Internships in 2021
Each summer, the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) invites economics students at the University of Chicago to apply for funding for summer internship opportunities. Students learn to apply their skills in a range of positions, from assisting with campus-based faculty research to external opportunities that utilize their economics education.
Last summer, students were able to take advantage of opportunities with organizations including the World Bank Group and The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution, among others. Students also supported faculty research on a broad range of topics, taking part in field-leading work.
This summers’ internships had real-world impact and provided meaningful, informative experiences that deepened students’ learning and inquiry. In all, 46 internships were made possible for both graduate and undergraduate students through BFI’s internship programs – the Kapani Metcalf Internship Program for Undergraduate Economics Students, and the Brickell Metcalf Internship Program.
Fourth-year Elisabeth Raczek interned at The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, where she supported the organization’s evidence-based policy proposals and analyses. In the fall, she’ll start as a research assistant at the United States Joint Economic Committee.
“The Hamilton Project gave me the most amazing foundation to grow,” Raczek said. “I was immediately put into ongoing projects and was even encouraged to write a research blog with the fellow interns. I worked on a variety of subjects, ranging from LGBTQ+ demographics in the United States to economic recovery facts from the COVID-19 pandemic. This internship gave me the tools to take my career to the next step, while also helping me realize the career path I wanted.”
The Kapani Metcalf Internship Program for Undergraduate Economics Students annually provides generous stipends to support students as they intern for faculty on campus and at various external positions across the country.
“As a Research & Data Analysis Intern for Traffik Hub Analysis, a data hub to support human trafficking prevention, I worked closely with the CEO to utilize Excel and CRMs to organize and analyze data of over 30,000 users of the Hub to combat financial crime,” second-year Erin Ku said. “Additionally, I crafted a report explaining the market for human capital crime and the economic factors within this market.”
Ku said her summer internship allowed her to gain more experience with databases and data analysis, along with supply-chain and connecting with corporate leaders, giving her a foundation for future work in finance.
Last summer, fourth-year Ben Konstan worked with Prof. Mikhail Golosov, The Homer J. Livingston Professor in Economics and the College, as a research assistant studying topics including conditions for bubble formation, optimal levels of government debt, determinants of the interest rate, and timing of taxation in dynamically inefficient economies.
“I learned a lot about how the economic theory we learn in class translates to research. There were new frictions, policy experiments, and data trends to match, so I was pushed to extend all the skills I learned in the classroom to this new context,” Konstan said.
The Brickell Metcalf Internship Program supports undergraduate students interested in conducting research with the intent
of increasing liberty. The program aims to produce research to develop a better understanding of the effects of law, regulation, and government policy on human behavior. Students are encouraged to choose from a number of possible research opportunities offered by faculty members, who submit proposals for desired research assistant support.