Two teams from Warwick Economics have been Highly Commended in the recent university-wide Excellence in Gender Equality AwardsLink opens in a new window.  

The Awards Link opens in a new windowwere created by the Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team and the Gender Taskforce to acknowledge commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and sharing best practice. This year entries were judged by University Provost Professor Chris Ennew, the Chairs of Faculty, and Kulbir Shergill, Director of Social Inclusion.

The two Economics teams recognised for excellence in working towards gender equality were Dr Stefania Paredes Fuentes and the ‘Women in Economics: A Student Workshop’ Team; and the ‘Warwick Women in Economics International Women's Day Conference’ Team.  

The Women in Economics Student WorkshopLink opens in a new window was co-ordinated by Dr Stefania Paredes-Fuentes and a group of undergraduate students with the goal of hearing the student perspective on the debate on female under-representation in the discipline. During the two day event, students from 12 universities gathered in Warwick to present their ideas and to discuss the issues around the lack of diversity in the discipline. Outcomes from the workshop have included the ‘Economics for All’ guide with 7 Action Points to promote diversity in Economics, and the foundation of the Warwick Women in EconomicsLink opens in a new window (WWiE) society.  

The judges said that the Workshop “was a great initiative and event, which definitely demonstrated sharing good practice and meeting of the criteria for commitment to gender equality (and wider inclusivity) and delivering on a specific project.” 

The second Highly Commended Economics team was the 15-strong student team behind the 2022 WWiE International Women's Day conferenceLink opens in a new window. The IWD event was the society’s first in-person conference and attracted more than 80 attendees and 100 online participants. The aim of the day was to raise awareness of the different career paths available for female economics graduates.  

Milena Ermolenko, the society’s Vice-President, said “It was a huge achievement for the team to organise our society’s first large-scale in-person event and the high attendance confirms its success. The conference offered economics students a platform to raise their voice, ask questions about their degree, and become more curious about their future career prospects.  

“We are delighted that WWiE has been recognised for our contribution to equality, diversity and inclusion, and our commitment to building more inclusive environments and experiences through everyday behaviours at the University of Warwick.  

“The judges described our International Women’s Day Conference 2022 as ‘a successful and well-attended event.’ We intend to make it bigger and better in spring 2023.” 

Last week Warwick Economics students had a unique opportunity to meet with representatives of 19 organisations who were invited on to campus for our annual Careers in Economics Event to talk about internships and career opportunities specific to Warwick Economics students and graduates.

Professor Caroline Elliott, Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning) opened the event by welcoming the employers and current students and wishing them a productive networking opportunity. It was good to see and chat with many of them, including our former students who talked about specific skills gained during their time at Warwick and how they apply them now in their current jobs.

As part of the event five organisations delivered short presentations about specific roles they were recruiting to, and highlighted the skills and experience they were looking for in economics graduates:

Cornerstone Research

Compass Lexecon

South West Water

NERA Economics Consulting

Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA)

The final part of this successful event was a keynote lecture delivered by John Burn-Murdoch, Chief Data Journalist at the Financial Times, on the topic of Quantitative Social Science in Action. This was hosted jointly by the CAGE Research Centre and introduced by Prof Mirko Draca, the Centre’s Director.

During the Covid-19 pandemic John became well-known for his clear and trusted analysis of the latest public health data, through charts and tables published on the FT.com website and also on Twitter. John’s work informed public debate and influenced decision-making across all sectors of the economy and public life.

Prof Draca welcomed John, speaking briefly about the challenge of misinformation in the public sphere and the need for high-quality analytical content to challenge it.

Taking the podium, John began with a simple question - Why do we make charts?

For John, charts are a vital tool because research shows that they can change people’s minds far more effectively than the written word alone. Done well, data visualisation is powerful and helps people make sense of complicated information.

John explained that a successful chart needs both numbers and words – well-thought-out text annotations, good use of colour, and clear titles help people read and understand the data.

The logarithmic scale proved a challenge to public understanding at the beginning of John’s COVID-19 series. John showed a sample of tweets challenging his work because the vertical scale was not uniform. Many people found this confusing and some thought it was a deliberate attempt to minimise the size of the pandemic. Taking advantage of the two-way nature of social media, John recorded an explainer video about what a log scale is and why he chose it – and was delighted when his followers began posting the link in response to puzzled tweeters.

John encouraged the researchers in his audience not to be afraid of bold headlines, citing a famous aphorism from “data rock star” Hans Rosling - ‘You have to be like the worst tabloid newspaper in the front and the Academy of Science in the back’

While COVID-19 has not gone away, John has turned his attention to the question of whether ill health is driving economic inactivity in the UK. He presented some snapshots of his work in progress and concluded with time for questions from the floor.

If you missed the talk, you can watch it on YouTube: Quantitative Social Science in ActionLink opens in a new window.

Warwick Economics graduates Victor Sosanya and Yijun Tang have been recognised for the outstanding quality of their research by the judges of the Global Undergraduate Awards 2022.

Victor (pictured receiving his award from Jim Barry, Chair of The Global Undergraduate Awards) was declared the Global WinnerLink opens in a new window in Economics, and Yijun the Regional WinnerLink opens in a new window (Europe).

The Global Undergraduate AwardsLink opens in a new window is an international academic awards programme that recognises originality, innovation, and excellence at the undergraduate level. It is open to all undergraduate students in universities, colleges and institutes around the world.

Victor’s award-winning paper was The Effect of Pre-University Work Experience on Graduate Wages. His supervisor was Dr. Eman Abdulla, Assistant Professor of Economics at Warwick.

In 2021, Victor was recognised as the UK’s 9th most outstanding African student by Future Leaders MagazineLink opens in a new window. Alongside achieving academic excellence and starting his career in banking Victor dedicates his time to delivering inspiration, encouragement and practical guidance through his podcast ‘ValuableLink opens in a new window’. His impact not only extends to the workplace and educational institutions but is felt in his local community.

Commenting on his award, Victor said:

“The countless hours spent in the library and with my supervisor were not in vain. I’m glad I had the opportunity to conduct independent research. But to be globally recognised for my efforts and research is truly humbling. To God be the glory!”

As Global Winner for Economics, Victor received a gold medal, a certificate of recognition, and an expenses-paid place at the UA Global Summit in Dublin. His paper will be uploaded to the Undergraduate Library, an open access library dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of all award-winning entries of The Global Undergraduate Awards Programme.

Yijun’s Highly Commended paper was Who entered the high-wage industries in China? The importance of network, hukou, and productivity factors. His work was supervised by Professor Abhinay Muthoo.

As Regional Winner, Yijun was recognised as the highest performing Highly Commended Entrant for the Economics category in Europe.

Yijun said:

“It has been a great honour to be chosen as the European regional winner in the Global Undergraduate Awards 2022. I'll build on this achievement and continue to work hard in the study of Economics and the research field. Also, I would like to thank Professor Abhinay Muthoo for his guidance and continuous support, and Professor Caroline Elliott, the module leader of Research in Applied Economics, for her insightful comments.”

Related articles

Economics student reaches final of prestigious global competitionLink opens in a new window - Yijun Tang was chosen as one of four finalists in an international competition organised by the prestigious International Atlantic Economic Society (IAES), published on 17 October 2022

Class of ’22 Economics graduate Yijun Tang was chosen as one of four finalists in an international competition organised by the prestigious International Atlantic Economic Society (IAESLink opens in a new window) to find and celebrate outstanding undergraduate research.

As one of the finalists, Tang travelled to Washington DC to attend the annual conference of the International Atlantic Economic Society (IAES) and present his paper to the judging panel.

Now in its 18^th year, the Best Annual Undergraduate Paper Award (BUPALink opens in a new window) competition is organised by the IAES to recognise and reward outstanding research conducted by undergraduate students worldwide.

Each year, the field is narrowed to just four finalists invited to present their research in person to the IAES conference audience of senior economists and finance experts.

Tang was the only 2022 finalist from a university outside the USA and presented his paper, Who entered the high-wage industries in China? The importance of network, hukou, and productivity factors.

As one of the finalists, Tang will see an 800-word summary of his research published in the Atlantic Economic Journal, founded in 1973 by the IAES to increase communication among scholars from different countries to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas and scholarly research.

Reflecting on his conference experience, Tang said:

'It has been a truly rewarding and fruitful experience to attend the IAES conference. I have had the precious opportunity to communicate with Economics scholars at other universities and receive constructive feedback on my research. Such experience helped me to gain a new perspective on my project and broadened the scope of my research.

“I would like to thank IAES for giving me this opportunity, and Professor Abhinay Muthoo for his guidance and insightful comments that allowed me to perfect this research.”

Professor Caroline Elliott, Deputy Head of Department (Teaching and Learning) said:

“On behalf of the whole Department I’d like to congratulate Yijun on reaching the final of this year’s IAES Best Undergraduate Paper Award.

“To be chosen as one of the four best authors from an international field is a significant achievement for Yijun and an ongoing testament to the high quality of the work completed by our students in the Research in Applied Economics dissertation module.”

Previous finalists from Warwick have included:

2018Link opens in a new window: Paul Noller, Evaluating the Credibility of the European Bank Bail-in Commitment, and Maria Polyakova, Child Marriage and Female Educational Attainment: an Investigation into a Complex Relationship, Using Nigerian Data.

2017Link opens in a new window: Gytautas Karklius The Effect of Central Bank Informal Communication on Bond Markets: The Evidence from the Bank of England and Yin Li Toh The Role of Land Wealth on Child Labour in Vietnam.

2016Link opens in a new window: Adam Brzezinski, Synergies in Labour Market Institutions - the nonlinear effect of minimum wages on youth employment. Adam was the overall winner in 2016.

2015Link opens in a new window, Hameem Raees Chowdury, Joint-Liability in Microcredit: Evidence from Bangladesh, and Virginia Minni, Can greater bank capital lead to less bank lending? An analysis of the bank-level evidence from Europe.' Hammem’s paper, won the competition and was included in the Atlantic Economic Journal.

17 October 2022

We are proud to announce that PhD candidate Ozge Demirci has won the Emerging Scholar Award for her research in diversity, equality and inclusion.

The Emerging Scholar Award is annually given to an outstanding early career scholar by the Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Research Network, an interdisciplinary academic organisation connecting researchers from various fields, including economics, business, and computer science. This year's award was announced at the Network's Annual Conference held virtually in June. The award committee were impressed by the quality of work in Ozge's portfolio, her research agenda, and her dedication to the field of discrimination and diversity.

Ozge's research focuses on the intersection of discrimination and digital economics with applications to behaviour of individuals and firms. She investigates the role of information in overcoming discrimination, especially in digital technologies such as algorithms and digital platforms. She studies questions including whether removing group information such as race and gender can alleviate bias in the algorithms or whether people from historically disadvantaged groups can obtain better results on digital platforms by providing more information about their individual characteristics. Her research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of information in reducing discrimination digitally.

Ozge commented about receiving the award:

"It is an honour to receive this Emerging Scholar Award. When choosing to conduct research on discrimination and diversity, I strongly felt that this is an important subject with an impact. This award recognises that there is real interest in this issue, and I hope to see more research in this field."

We congratulate Ozge on her award and wish her further success in the future.

Find out more about Ozge's research

Dr Lory Barile, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Dr Bo Kelestyn from WBS took the lead in organising Warwick Sustainability Challenge, a project fully funded and brought to staff and students at Warwick by the Warwick International Higher Education Academy - Education for Sustainable Development (WIHEA ESD) learning circle. The project, developed in partnership with Coventry City Council, proved to be a great success in raising awareness about sustainable development.

The aim of the challenge was to bring together staff and students to co-create solutions to tackle a real environmental challenge in Coventry: how to increase the use of public transport in Coventry. Participants had to present their ideas to a panel of judges:

• Bret Willers, Head of Climate Change and Sustainability, Coventry City Council
• David Pipe, Senior Officer, Transport Strategy, Coventry City Council
• Dr Lee Griffin, Associate Professor, WMG
• Dr Lorenzo Lotti, Associate Professor, Institute for Sustainable Resources, UCL

Attracting around 70 participants, the challenge started with two 3-hour workshops to facilitate a collaborative approach and to provide initial support for each team. The challenge lasted for two more weeks during which time the teams had access to further support from experts in sustainability in the form of drop-in sessions or thematic resources, before submitting their final project in the form of an e-poster or a presentation, and a video.

The challenge culminated in a final showcase event held on 8 July at Scarman (Warwick Conferences) during which 5 shortlisted teams presented their projects and answered questions from the judging panel in front of a small audience of staff, students and visitors from local schools.

The winning teams were from WMG (1st Prize): Zixin Wu, Zixian Hao, Liuming Bao, India Palmer and Daniel Dillon; Team 8 (2nd Prize): Yiwen Gao (GSD) and Dylan Davis (PPE), and Sociology (3rd Prize): Saskia Wagner, Jamie Deane, Fikayo Falade and Ilina Joshi.

The Department of Economics, represented by a team of 5 with two students and three academic staff: Yara Aziz, Yingran He, Dr Atisha Gosh, Dr Andreas Markoulakis and Dr Samuel Obeng, was commended for the best use of insights and research.

Dr Lory Barile commented:

"As an Economist with a strong interest in environmental economics (and Module Leader for UG and PG Modules in Environmental Economics), I was pleased to see how this project provided an opportunity for us all, students, staff and external stakeholders, to deepen our understanding of the importance of sustainability and good environmental practice to create a better world. I was particularly delighted to see our students come up with some excellent solutions within such a short period of time.

"I hope that the Sustainability Challenge 2022 has enabled colleagues and students to engage in a critical discourse about environmental sustainability and will encourage more participants to get involved in future initiatives supporting education for sustainable development."

One of the student participants, Dylan Davis shared his thoughts about taking part in the challenge:

"Having the opportunity to co-create and present a shared vision with academics across the University to the Coventry City Council has been rewarding and has transformed my critical approach to sustainability. From developing my green skills to learning design thinking from expert students and coaches, it enhanced my creativity and initiative to think outside the box when solving genuine environmental challenges in Coventry.

"Taking a holistic approach when designing our idea and e-poster to present in 10 days was intense, but it only highlighted even more how crucial deep collaboration and time management were to the success of our project. Overall, my experience was immensely enjoyable, as I am thoroughly motivated to apply my new competencies in tackling the real-life challenges in a working and studying environment."

Further details about the challenge can be found on the Warwick Sustainability Challenge page.

End

Banner/Photograph credits (final showcase 8 July 2022): from left to right: David Pipe, Bret Willers, Dr Lory Barile, Zixian Hao, Zixin Wu, Daniel Dillon, India Palmer, Dr Lee Griffin.

Warwick Economics finalist, Aaron Lee (BSc, Economics, 2021), is one of the winners of the University's Outstanding Student Contribution Awards 2021 in recognition of his numerous achievements during his time at Warwick. The OSCAs recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions of Warwick's students who not only excel academically, but also find the time to campaign for good causes, fundraise, start small businesses, and work with charities.

During the pandemic, Aaron founded LA Edge, the first integrated social consultancy and careers platform of its kind - an initiative which has been recognised by several prominent organisations. His platform provides pro bono career advice and peer support to disadvantaged individuals, redirecting them to situation-specific resources, both within Singapore and the UK. An impact-driven individual, Aaron has also found tremendous success in various leadership and mentorship roles on and off campus. He has graduated with a first-class honours degree and will be embarking on a career in investment banking.

We asked Aaron to tell us more about his recent achievements and here is what he said:

1. What is LA Edge and why you decided to set it up?

"LA Edge is the first integrated career services (LA Apply) cum social consultancy (LA Assist) platform of its kind in the world. LA Edge started as a passion project which sought to bridge the asymmetric information gap within the social welfare sector from which I had once benefited. Due to the lack of an aggregated platform for NGOs and welfare organisations, individuals who require help often do not know where to start looking. The Covid-19 pandemic gave tremendous impetus for LA Edge’s founding and provided an opportune moment for market entry during a period where more people were seeking support than ever before. Having been successful in securing several good internships and student committee roles, I had been approached by both friends and strangers for assistance in reviewing application material. I realised that starting a career services platform was not only an efficient and structured way to share my knowledge, but it was also complementing my non-profit work. LA Edge operates on a closed-loop revenue model where I channel profits generated from the former into the latter. This allows me to serve individuals across the socio-economic spectrum, whilst generating effective revenue."

2. Tell us a bit more about the social consultancy and career services platforms.

"LA Assist is a non-profit peer-support service which provides not only a listening ear, but also direction to situation-specific public and private welfare resources. Where appropriate, LA Apply career services will be extended pro-bono, to those deemed eligible.

Contrary to popular opinion, LA Assist does not cater only to those afflicted by adverse circumstances. Individuals who are looking to celebrate their achievements or simply seeking a sounding board are welcome too. Fun fact: LA Assist is partly inspired by Warwick Nightline!

LA Apply is a one stop, personalised career service which helps with career planning and job applications, for example CV creation and editing, interview coaching, and cover letter review services. Profits from LA Apply are funnelled into LA Assist which may be used to provide temporary relief to disadvantaged individuals, for instance in the form of food delivery vouchers."

3. Is this your first enterprise?

"No, but it is definitely the most successful one yet! Prior to enrolling at university, I had two online businesses. The first was a fashion store selling gaming and media related apparel (think Dota 2, Game of Thrones etc.) and I discontinued the business when I left for the UK. My other venture involved selling revision materials to high schoolers and providing general proofreading and editing services. The effort was not worth the pay, and I was receiving requests faster than I could clear them. I shut that operation down almost as quickly as it started.

I consider LA Edge an inflection point in my entrepreneurial journey. My previous ventures were hosted on online marketplaces and platforms; marketing then simply meant sharing links on my Facebook wall. With LA Edge, I had to take ownership of the entire business value chain. From aligning LA Edge’s strategic intent with its product portfolio, to sourcing for partnership opportunities; from embedding a payment ecosystem to learning about SEO marketing, I understood for the very first time why entrepreneurs do what they do."

4. What mentoring work were you involved in during your studies at Warwick?

"I volunteered as a senior undergraduate mentor for the Department of Economics, assisting with the integration of Economics first year students into University life. I also held mentor positions at Project Access and SEO London, providing prospective Warwick students UCAS application advice and assisting disadvantaged students with internship applications. I was also selected as the Economics course ambassador for the Singapore society where I provided both academic and general welfare advice to my Singaporean juniors, helping them maximise the international experience. Finally, as the business mentor for Warwick Incubator, I leveraged my entrepreneurial experiences to support the progress of the participating start-ups."

5. Why is mentoring important?

"Mentorship has at its core knowledge transfer from one individual to another. This includes both theoretical knowledge (subject-specific; ‘how to do this’) and what I term 'indigenous knowledge' (unwritten best-practices; ‘street’ knowledge). In my view, mentorship is not just important, but essential to thrive in any environment.

For the mentee, knowing the pitfalls and the best-practices of an organisation is non-negotiable when seeking success. Cultivating a good relationship with a mentor can also yield cascading benefits, since business is ultimately relationship-driven. The psychological benefits and the associated confidence boost from knowing that there is someone with a vested interest in your success cannot be understated.

For the mentor, mentorship is an excellent way to pay it forward. After all, what you now know you once learned from someone else. Mentoring someone, especially an individual from a disadvantaged background can go a long way in uplifting someone from their circumstances. The significance really hit home when my mentee from SEO London— which provides career assistance to students from low ethnic minority or low socioeconomic backgrounds—successfully landed an internship at a bulge bracket bank. Furthermore, mentorship can foster goodwill which can be advantageous to the mentor as the mentee advances up the hierarchy.

In my experience, the true value of mentorship is unlocked by cultivating a trusted, non-judgemental relationship where both parties can hold frank conversations and where constructive feedback can be dispensed. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about mentorship is that you are embedding a part of your legacy within another person, and that is truly special."

6. What are your hobbies beyond your studies?

"I consider myself someone with wide ranging interests. I enjoy sports, travelling, dance and simply hanging out with friends. I am always seeking out unique, fun and thrilling adventures to embark on. I’ve climbed Helvellyn on a whim, sat on UK’s fastest rollercoaster, watched five West End musicals in my first year and just recently watched a ballet for the first time. I dabble in day trading and am also a huge cinephile. I’m passionate about aviation and intend to take a private pilot’s license within the next two years. I love eating (sometimes too much) and have embarked on a quest to tick off the best restaurants around Europe."

7. What other student societies have you been involved in and which of these roles was the most rewarding?

"I have been involved in several clubs and societies on campus in various capacities. I was the junior executive member for the Warwick Consulting Society, the Finance and Sponsorship Officer for the Warwick Economics Summit (WES), Business Mentor for Warwick Incubator, captain of my society team for the Warwick Sport football league and a member of the Squash Club.

All these experiences have been rewarding in their own way, but if I had to pick one, it would be my stint in WES. Seeing the largest student-led Economics summit in Europe materialise from mere scribblings and PowerPoint slides was particularly satisfying. The summit was my first major achievement at University and my experiences in the society laid the foundation for my future leadership successes."

8. How would you describe your time at Warwick?

"Transformational. My time at Warwick was marked by many ‘firsts’. The first time snowboarding; the first time giving a lecture to a packed audience; the first time taking a road trip, amongst many other indelible memories. Studying abroad presented innumerable opportunities for personal development. Living in a foreign land is different from taking a vacation in one, especially in the UK—the nexus of Europe. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the myriad of different accents, the rhythms of the local jargon, but one eventually learns to distinguish. It is also easy to be overcome by the sheer demands of university life. You suddenly find yourself having to cook, to clean and to pay rent; to contend with the infamous trilemma of ‘studying, partying, sleeping’ - you can only pick two; to bash through the unforgiving jungles of spring week applications, of assessment centres; to deal with the realisation that adulthood is fast approaching, but one eventually learns to manage. Reflecting on my journey, I would like to think I’m a little wiser and a little worldlier than when I stepped onto English shores for the first time in my life, only three short years ago."

9. What advice would you give to those students who are starting their studies in October this year?

"Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. While this advice is applicable to all, it is especially important to international students, some of whom I observe hang out exclusively with peers of similar nationality. It is my firm belief that staying within the same familiar social bubble, defeats the purpose of an international education. Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of cultures on campus; pick up a new sport; take road trips; apply for that executive position; make the first move. As the saying goes, 'you miss all the shots you don’t take'. Trust me, it’s really not that daunting once you try it. I promise, more often than not, you’ll end up pleasantly surprised!"

10. Any other things you wish to mention?

"I would like to dedicate this award to the passionate teaching Faculty, my amazing friends and above all, my supportive family without whom all of this would not have been possible. My three years at Warwick have strengthened my resolve to leave a positive legacy wherever I go, and have served as a timely reminder that the best is indeed yet to be."

Links: Feel free to connect!

• LA Edge website
• Aaron Lee - Linkedin
• Aaron Lee - Instagram: @aaryleee

We are delighted that a number of final year undergraduate University of Warwick Economics students were accepted to present the results of their dissertation research at the 2021 British Conference for Undergraduate Research.

This year's conference was hosted online by the University of Leeds, taking place over two days; 12-13 April 2021. Since it was founded in 2010, the BCUR offers a fantastic opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research in friendly environment and experience the atmosphere of a research conference. The annual conference is held annually at different UK universities and is open to a range of disciplines.

At this year's online conference, there was around 250 presentations by students at 70 higher education institutions presenting on a broad range of subjects, a selection of 100 flash talks, Q&A session with PhD Postgraduate students and a virtual conference social.

The Warwick Economics students who presented at the 2021 conference were:

• Gin Fah Chong (BSc Economics)
• Wing Chow (PPE)
• Larina Corniciuc (Modern Languages and Economics)
• Kai Foerster (MSc Economics)
• Patricio Hernandez Senosiain (BSc Economics
• Salman Mallick (BSc Economics)

Student BCUR Presentations

Iarina Corniciuc's presentation titled 'Does boardroom diversity affect a firms financial performance' highlighted that the ethical argument for increasing diversity is irrefutable. Through her research Iarina provided an economic case for diversity to further strengthen the argument. The presentation is available to view here:

Kai Forester asked the question 'Does staying home slow down COVID-19 transmission?'. Kai's research attempts to uncover the casual relationship between people's mobility patterns and COVID-19 cases using latest econometric techniques. The presentation is available to view here:

We are very pleased to announce that Jenny Guo, a second year undergraduate student (BSc Economics) has been named as a finalist for the First Generation Undergraduate of the Year 2021 Award.

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards is a competition open to students across the UK where they can win prizes such as placements, internships and trips abroad with internationally recognised organisations. This year there were 9 different awards that cover a range of academic subjects and skillsets with over 5,000 students applying with 200 making it to the second stage of the competition.

To make it to the final of the Undergraduate of the Year Awards students had to first complete an application, including essay style questions and online tests. Once passing that stage students were either invited to a telephone interview or take part in an assessment centre. HSBC, who sponsored the prize, have been extremely impressed with Jenny and she was invited to the grand final which took place on Friday 30 April. Although Jenny didn’t win the prize, we congratulate her on the fantastic achievement of making it to the top 10 in the country for this category.

We asked Jenny to reflect on the competition as well as her time at Warwick and here is what she said:

What made you enter this competition?

As the first person in my family to attend University, I thought this competition would be a great way to gain new opportunities, build my confidence and network. I found out about this competition through an email from TARGETjobs.

What did you have to do as part of the competition?

As part of the competition, I had to complete an online application with three questions specifically set by HSBC. Following that, I had to sit a couple of online tests and participated in a virtual assessment consisting of solving a business problem in a set time.

What was it like to attend the final ceremony which was a virtual event? The virtual ceremony was great - we got a lovely picnic hamper sent to us the day before with lots of treats and had the chance to network with fellow finalists, HSBC staff and Rachel Riley!

What was the top prize in your category?

The prize is a paid summer internship with HSBC, one-to-one mentoring sessions and a breakfast meeting with a senior manager.

What have been the highlights of your degree course at Warwick to date?

The Economics degree is intellectually rewarding, at times challenging, but I enjoy the module flexibility, which has enabled me to pick topics like Development Economics and Applied Economics. Another highlight is the diverse range of people at Warwick and the long-lasting friendships that I have built. I have learnt so much from chatting to fellow peers, be it about seminar problem sets or discussing recent market news.

What is your favourite module?

My favourite module this year has been Macroeconomics (EC201). Despite the virtual environment, our lecturers, Roberto and Federico were very engaging, and I enjoyed learning about the new macro concepts.

What student societies do you engage with and why?

Student societies have been a major part of my University life. One highlight was co-founding Warwick Women in Economics Society last year and I have been on the exec team for EconSoc and Warwick Women’s Careers Society. Last year, I was also a student consultant for Warwick Consulting Society working on a project for a FTSE 100 FMCG company. I try to get involved in many different societies as I think it is a great way to meet new people and gain the practical skills needed for the workforce.

What can you tell us about your role of Co-president of the Warwick Women’s Careers Society?

In a nutshell, my role is to ensure the society functions effectively and help expand WWCS to a greater level in line with our vision: unlocking female employment potential in all sectors. I am very excited to lead the society for the upcoming year and work with other incredible female students!

What are you planning to do after graduation?

I will be doing an investment banking internship this summer and hopefully, I can convert that into a graduate role. I am also exploring MSc/MBA routes following graduation.

What are your longer-term career plans?

I am currently interested in a career in investment banking or consulting, but ultimately, I’ve always wanted to set up my own business one day. I am also very passionate about volunteering, so I hope to also travel in the future to do charity work and give back to local communities across the world.

Related Links:

TargetJobs First Generation Undergraduate of the Year 2021

Warwick Women in Economics Society

Warwick Women's Careers Society

Warwick Economics Society

Warwick Consulting Society

We are delighted to announce that PhD student Karmini Sharma has won the best student paper award at the Australian Gender Economics Workshop 2021 and at the Women in the Economy: 3rd Annual Workshop.

The Australian Gender Economics Workshop is an annual event that has been running for the last four years. The workshop brings together a global community with the shared goal of understanding what drives gender inequality in the Australian society and economy, as well as what can be done to reduce the inequalities that exist. This year’s event was held online and attracted an increased number of international colleagues and a large number of students who presented their papers during the course of the two days.

Karmini also won the best paper award at the Women in the Economy: 3rd Annual Workshop organised by the Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE) based in Delhi and the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). IWWAGE is an initiative of LEAD, an action-oriented research centre of IFMR Society (a not-for-profit society) and is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative aims to generate new research evidence to inform and facilitate the agenda of women’s economic empowerment by looking at barriers to women working in India. Currently, the labour force participation is one of the lowest in the world and continuing to fall.

In her paper ‘Tackling Sexual Harassment: Evidence from India', Karmini focuses on whether sexual harassment of women by men can be deterred through awareness training for men. Karmini studied whether the deterrence takes place due to changes in intrinsic attitudes and norms against sexual harassment or due to changes in beliefs about them. Her study found that the extreme forms of sexual harassment can be deterred by these trainings with men and presented evidence supporting a change in men's perception of norms as a mechanism behind it.

Professor James Fenske, who supervised Karmini’s research stated:

"Karmini has been doing excellent work experimentally evaluating interventions aimed at tackling sexual harassment in Delhi colleges. It is great to see her paper recognised."