Research Assistant for Prof. Fulya Ersoy

Opportunity Description:

Research Assistant Position for Prof. Fulya Ersoy

Only 41% of young adults in the U.S. enroll in college despite the many benefits of higher education. In addition to the well-recognized monetary benefits of tertiary education, researchers have recently documented significant non-monetary returns to college, such as reduced crime rates, improved cognitive skills, better health outcomes, and increased civic engagement. This project aims to investigate whether students are aware of these non-monetary benefits and assess if providing targeted information about these non-pecuniary returns influences students' college enrollment decisions. By examining this, the research hopes to inform educational policy and intervention strategies aimed at increasing college enrollment rates.

Student Role/Responsibilities: The student research assistant will be responsible for:

=>Conducting a comprehensive literature review to identify gaps in existing research and support the framing of the study.
=>Assisting with data cleaning, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of data collected from the experiment.
=>Analyzing experimental data using statistical software (like Stata or R) to evaluate the effects of the information intervention.
=>Creating professional tables and visual representations of the data for inclusion in research presentations and the final research paper.

Preferred Experience:

Students with Stata/R knowledge/experience and students who are proficient in using LaTeX are preferred.

Through these tasks, the student will gain hands-on experience in literature review, data analysis and policy-oriented research, contributing to both the study's development and the broader understanding of factors influencing college enrollment.

Application Process: 

Application Form