Three economics PhD candidates were selected to present their research at the 3rd Annual Graduate Research and Scholarship Projects (GRaSP) Day held November 10, 2017 at the UH University Center. The event, sponsored by the University of Houston Graduate School and Office of the Provost, showcased the rich array of graduate research-related activities across all disciplines. Max Thuy Vu and Tung Nguyen presented in a poster session, and Saumya Rana presented in a TED-style talk session.

All three received training from the GRaSP committee prior to their presentations and were impressed with their experiences. Tong explained, “I think that was a good experience to talk to a general audience, and some of them were really interested in my research and gave me good feedback.” Max commented “The main challenge at GRaSP was to explain our projects in terms that are understandable and relatable to other disciplines as well.” Saumya enthused “It was a great experience. We had 3 hour trainings every Friday for about 3 weeks from professionals on how to a TED-style talk and how to convey your research idea in 10 minutes to a lay audience. This was completely different from the academic-style presentations we are used to (I could add color and animation!). It was also great to interact with students from other departments. There is wonderful work going on in UH and this was my first exposure to the research in other departments. I would say it is a worthwhile investment of your time and I would encourage more students from our department to consider applying.”

The titles of their presentations were:

Tung Nguyen, “Is Bilingual Education Shaping Later-life Outcomes? Evidence from California”

Saumya Rana, “Why Care? Neighborhood Diversity Affects Children’s Upward Mobility”

Max Thuy Vu, “The Impacts of Government Programs on Individuals' Preferences for Redistribution”