Through the EDE+, Chicago Booth aims to attract extraordinary students from colleges and universities around the country who are driven by intellectual curiosity and a shared interest in using quantitative methods to answer big questions. The program seeks to get students excited about this important area of study and its application in the quantitative social sciences. Housed in the Chicago Booth School of Business, EDE+ emphasizes a unique interdisciplinary approach, exposing students to leading researchers in fields such as economics, finance, accounting, behavioral science, data science, and marketing. This offers participants unparalleled interdisciplinary research exposure and access to world-class resources.
The EDE+ Summer Institute is planned to run from June 1 - July 29, 2026. For the 2026 cohort experience, EDE+ participants will engage in several key components to develop research experience and acumen:
- Skill-building coursework and lectures focus on foundational theory and metrics, with guided instruction in computer programming for research.
- Participants engage in intensive coursework on research design and question formation led by UChicago faculty.
- The program culminates in a small group-based research project, where participants will work in research teams to explore a chosen question, applying new skills in data analysis, experimental design, and empirical methods. Participants will also have the option to present their findings at a national research conference.
- Activities inspire learning, promote networking, and foster a supportive and collaborative community. This includes field trips to policy institutions in Washington, D.C., and networking with early-career research professionals and economists, including Nobel laureates and renowned UChicago researchers.
The core goal of EDE+ is to unite a diverse tapestry of talented early undergraduate scholars and provide them with the knowledge and opportunities to pursue a research career in the quantitative social sciences, or a career drawing on this important skill set. The program is open to students from all backgrounds, and encourages applicants who are first-generation college students, Pell Grant recipients, and those from under-resourced areas. By fostering a dynamic intellectual environment and cultivating a community of inquisitive and ambitious minds dedicated to propelling society forward, EDE+ empowers young scholars to tackle today’s most pressing challenges.
2026 Expanding Discovery in Economics+ Summer Institute (EDE+)
Through the EDE+, Chicago Booth aims to attract extraordinary students from colleges and universities around the country who are driven by intellectual curiosity and a shared interest in using quantitative methods to answer big questions. The program seeks to get students excited about this important area of study and its application in the quantitative social sciences. Housed in the Chicago Booth School of Business, EDE+ emphasizes a unique interdisciplinary approach, exposing students to leading researchers in fields such as economics, finance, accounting, behavioral science, data science, and marketing. This offers participants unparalleled interdisciplinary research exposure and access to world-class resources.
The EDE+ Summer Institute is planned to run from June 1 - July 29, 2026. For the 2026 cohort experience, EDE+ participants will engage in several key components to develop research experience and acumen:
- Skill-building coursework and lectures focus on foundational theory and metrics, with guided instruction in computer programming for research.
- Participants engage in intensive coursework on research design and question formation led by UChicago faculty.
- The program culminates in a small group-based research project, where participants will work in research teams to explore a chosen question, applying new skills in data analysis, experimental design, and empirical methods. Participants will also have the option to present their findings at a national research conference.
- Activities inspire learning, promote networking, and foster a supportive and collaborative community. This includes field trips to policy institutions in Washington, D.C., and networking with early-career research professionals and economists, including Nobel laureates and renowned UChicago researchers.
The core goal of EDE+ is to unite a diverse tapestry of talented early undergraduate scholars and provide them with the knowledge and opportunities to pursue a research career in the quantitative social sciences, or a career drawing on this important skill set. The program is open to students from all backgrounds, and encourages applicants who are first-generation college students, Pell Grant recipients, and those from under-resourced areas. By fostering a dynamic intellectual environment and cultivating a community of inquisitive and ambitious minds dedicated to propelling society forward, EDE+ empowers young scholars to tackle today’s most pressing challenges.