Recent Prize Recipients
Winning the Ettinger Prize was such an honor. The cash prize comes with
an inspiring recognition that perhaps the arduous efforts spent on the
job market paper are worth it. Many thanks to the Ettingers for making
this possible.
The Ettinger prize set a benchmark for my dissertation. When I was at the early stages of writing my dissertation, I looked at the past prize winners, and though about how high I should aim. In retrospect, I think it was a reasonable benchmark to get my research going, in the sense that it was somewhere between peer pressure from my
class mates, and published work in top journals! Competing (in my mind) with past prize winners was helpful, because feeling that they are done by fellow UCLA students at a similar stage of career gave me a good sense of where my research is and was so helpful
to me.
Winning the Ettinger Prize was a fitting way to wrap up my time at UCLA. It capped months of intensive research and marked the starting point of my transition from graduate student to assistant professor. Importantly, the Ettinger Family Program supported my research in numerous ways even before I won the prize. The program?s funding for the macroeconomics workshop enabled me ? and many of my fellow prize winners ? to interact with visiting scholars from leading academic institutions. Undoubtedly, these opportunities to discuss work in progress had a lasting impact on my work. In fact, the seminar series at Notre Dame has been remodeled after the Ettinger Workshop for precisely this reason.
I am very grateful to the Ettinger family for their support to Macroeconomics Research in general, and the dissertation paper awards in particular. Being able to get my research evaluated by the faculty at two critical stages of the graduate program, the pre-job market and the job market years, constituted fundamental guidance for disciplining the progress of my work towards the job market season. The award also provided funding that allowed me to showcase my work in conferences and seminars, essential for practicing presentations skills and broadening the collection of feedback beyond the boundaries of the UCLA Economics Department.
The Ettinger Fund Workshop and Ettinger Prize have played a profound role in shaping macroeconomic research in general and my life at UCLA in particular. Both have facilitated the development of new ideas by bringing speakers to describe the most recent advances in the field of macroeconomics, by providing a friendly environment for discussions, and by rewarding those who take active part in the process. I have benefited tremendously from participating in all of these activities throughout my five years at UCLA. The Workshop and the prize winner selection process have helped shape me both as an active researcher and as a critical thinker.
The Ettinger Prize is a great incentive for research at UCLA. It helped me set goals for several stages of my dissertation and winning it encouraged me to work even harder and aim high. I thank Robert and Jane Ettinger for their invaluable support and faith in the work that is carried out in the department.
Winning the Ettinger prize was a great honor for me. I am thankful to the Ettinger Family and the Department for selecting me. It was also a nice confidence booster to win while I was on the job market. As every job market candidate knows, every bit of extra confidence makes a big difference when you are on the market!
The Ettinger family provides critical support to Macroeconomics Research at UCLA and their prize makes a big difference for graduate students. I was fortunate to receive this award. It did not only encourage me to persevere on my line of research, but also allowed me to present my work in several conferences. I will be always grateful for this boost of confidence at the earliest stage of my career.
