IDEC Thesis

As part of the program requirements, IDEC students are required to present a Master’s thesis based on empirical research in their areas of interest in economic development. This is usually a 4-stage process where the students begin to identify their interests during the first year and explore relevant research opportunities. During the summer break, they travel outside the US to developing countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, India, and Uganda to collect primary and/or secondary data through field research. Upon returning, they conduct an original and quantitative empirical analysis of this data under the supervision of a faculty advisor and present their findings at the end of the second year. 

    Thesis Submission Guidelines and Graduation

    • After having identified your thesis adviser, please notify the Program Manager (an adviser form will also be circulated in the fall semester of your 2nd year). 
    • Apply for graduation: Students may apply to start three semesters prior to their graduation semester and should apply no later than the second week of their final semester to ensure ample time to be notified regarding any outstanding degree requirements. Application deadlines: September 1st (Fall),  February 1st (Spring and Summer)
    • During your last semester, in order to complete the necessary requirements for your Degree Review, you will need to submit your final thesis and supporting documentation to USF and the Economics Department. Please note that the following instructions are in addition to the documents and copy of your thesis that you are required to submit to your thesis adviser.

    Gleeson Library Repository upload

    It is a mandatory requirement for your MS degree to upload your final thesis to the Gleeson Library Repository. Once you have uploaded your thesis to Gleeson Library based on the instructions given, please return the completed “Electronic Thesis/Project Submission Agreement Form” to the Program Manager. You will also receive an electronic confirmation that your upload was successful, please forward it to the Program Manager. This is a USF requirement for graduation - Your degree review request will not be initiated with the Dean’s Office until we receive this confirmation.

    Economics Google Drive Folder upload

    An electronic copy of your thesis and the supporting documents must also be uploaded to our department's Google Drive. Here is the complete list of documents you need to upload:

    • Your thesis (PDF format)
    • Abstract (PDF format)
    • Survey Form (PDF format)
    • Codebook, if you have one -- not everyone will! (PDF or Excel format)
    • Dataset (PDF or Excel format)
    • A completed Project Overview Form. Please see the template.

    File naming conventions

    Before uploading your thesis, supporting documents, and your completed Project Overview Form to Google Drive, it is important to uniformly name each document before uploading your documents. You can find the blank Project Overview Form attached to this email. 
    Please follow these naming conventions for your files:

    • Project Form:  wydick.bruce.SP2017.projectform.bolivia
    • Thesis:  wydick.bruce.SP2019.thesis.bolivia
    • Abstract:  wydick.bruce.SP2019.abstract.bolivia
    • Data set:   wydick.bruce.SP2019.dataset.bolivia
    • Survey:  wydick.bruce.SP2019.survey.bolivia
    • Codebook: wydick.bruce.SP2019.codebook.bolivia (not everyone has a code book but include it if you do)

    Past IDEC Thesis

    Open All

    Haining (Adeline) Yuan

    The Socioeconomic Costs of Water Pollution in Genesee County as Reflected in Unemployment Rates

    Advisor: Robizon Khubulashvili

    Sherwin Mosavat

    What Gives? Trust, Risk, Altruism, and Reciprocity Across 76 Countries

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Yuchen Zhu

    The Cost of Prosperity in China, Comparison of Early Development Differences Between Left-Behind Children and Non-left-behind Children in Rural China

    Advisor: Peter Lorentzen

    Khushboo Patel

    The Impact of Female Political Leadership on Intimate Partner Violence in India

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Stanley Yip

    Exploring the Learning Outcome of a Financial Literacy Game

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Prakriti Shakya

    Impact of Temperature on Children’s Nutrition: A Comparative Study of Three Ecological Regions of Nepal

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Jackson Kadyampakeni

    The Impact of Index Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) on Child Nutrition in Marsabit County, Kenya

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Martine Hind Stølan

    Matrilineal Ethnic Affiliation and Female Empowerment: Investigating Attitudes towards Female Autonomy and Health in Ivorian Households

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Antonia Michele Sottile

    Heat and Social Behavior: The Effect of Personal and Social Well-Being

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Wenwen Zhang

    Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Associate with Better Mental Health Outcomes Among Primary Caregivers in Rural China?

    Advisor: Peter Lorentzen

    Lucas Fortier Borden

    What The Stork Brought: Endogenous Fertility Preferences

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Bryce C. Everett

    The impact of refractive error correction on harvest productivity in the Guatemalan coffee sector

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Nikita Tkachenko

    Effects of Temperature on Economic Preferences: A Cross-Cultural Laboratory Study of Prosocial Behavior

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Andrew Hall

    Does Trust Influence Being Generous? An Empirical Study Across Five Countries

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Ester Agasha

    Financial Literacy and Aspirations: Experimental Evidence from Eastern Uganda

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Veronika Divis

    Can aspiration and financial literacy interventions relieve internal constraints? Evidence from Uganda and India

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Grant X. Storer
    Sweet and Timely Insurance: The Role of Honey in Reducing Coffee Producer Food Insecurity Exposure in Mexico
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes, Bruce Wydick

    Ashley Stewart
    Early life exposure to ENSO and adult human capital
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Angira Shukla
    Charity Begins at Home: Investigating How Culture Shapes In-Group Bias in Altruistic Behavior
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Zuriel Sanders
    The Association between High Medical Costs & Migration in the United States
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Laura A. Pettinger
    Campfire Connections to Ignite Change for Children with an Incarcerated Parent
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Kaitlin Paull
    Charcoal, Droughts, and Deforestation: Evidence from Mozambique
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Michael J. Nordquist
    Empirical Evidence for the Emergence of Global General Normative Force in the Paris Agreement
    Advisor: Jesse Anttilla-Hughes

    Zimmi Silonda Ndlovu
    Agricultural Shocks on household stability: A Case study of Tanzania Maize Farmers

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Alexa Nava
    Parental Incarceration and Camp Hope: Does a Long-term Intervention Lead to Better Outcomes?
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick 

    Scott Klause
    Feeling the Heat: Heterogeneous Treatment Effects of Heat on Human Cooperation

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick 

    Anchal Khandelwal
    Impact of Long-Term Trauma Exposure on Competitiveness and Generosity

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar 

    Mansi Kalra
    How Violence Shaped the Next Generation: Intergenerational Impacts of Abduction in Northern Uganda

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar 

    Brooke Johnson
    The Relationship Between Economic Complexity and Income Inequality: A study on the United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas

    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Jonah Jellesed
    Political Economy of General Normative Force in the Paris Agreement

    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Svitlana Holyk
    Heating Systems and Households’ Expenditure

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Stephanie Hermoso
    Impacts of Rising Temperatures on Human Behavior with a Focus on Gender Differences

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Shreeja Guhu
    Ties that Bind: Allomaternal Care and Cooperation among Matrilocal & Patrilocal Northeast Indian Tribes

    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Angelica Gloria
    Development and Economic Complexity of Mexican municipalities: based on their energy access and gross production

    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Alexander Courtman
    Heat & Social Cooperation: The Effects of Thermal Stress on Altruism

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Jake Cosgrove

    Tempers Rising: The Effect of Heat on Spite

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    John Chetwynd

    The Effect of Thermal Stress on Competitiveness A Cross-Cultural Analysis through Economic Games

    Advisor: Bruce Wydick & Alessandra Cassar 

    Faelynn Carroll

    Climate and Conflict: View into a Warming World

    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Natalia Cancino

    The Impact of High Temperatures on Child Anthropometric Outcomes Worldwide

    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Danielle Abaya

    The Child Nutrition Cost of Weather Shocks in Nigeria

    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs
     

     

    Mutiu O. Fakorede
    Title: Does My Skin Tone Really Matter? A Socioeconomic Analysis in Nigeria.
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

     Juan S. Gomez
    Title: IMPACT OF CLIMATE VARIABILITY ON CHILD NUTRITION IN ETHIOPIA
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Erma Kurtovic
    Title: Formal and Informal Styles of Clothing in the Assessment of Female Political Candidates
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar 

    Anudari Krystal Amartuvshin
    Title: Burnout and Social Support among Healthcare Workers during Covid-19: Evidence from Italy.
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar 

    Timothy Finney
    Title: Can Social Support Ameliorate Burnout?
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Gianna Camacho
    Title: Impact of Clubfoot Treatment on Adolescent Life Outcomes
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Pricila Serratos
    Title: Impacts of Livestock Insurance on Household Health
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs 

    Wendy F. Vasquez Ajquill
    Title: Does Climate Index Insurance Protect Farmers Against Livestock Loss? Evidence from Kenya
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs 

    Surpiya Adhikari

    Title: Does prize sharing close the gender-based gap of competition in Nepal?
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar (primary advisor) and Nadia Smith (secondary advisor)

    Scott Barger
    Title: Police Union Membership and Lethal Use of Force
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Firuzjon Khayrulloev
    Title: Gender Differences in risk, social, and competitive preference. Experimental evidence from Uzbekistan.
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

    Mai Moua
    Title: Do Letters and Gifts from International Sponsors affect Child Outcomes? Evidence from Colombia, Ghana, and Haiti
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Fiona Onyango
    Title: The Gendered Impact of Droughts on Household Decision Making: Evidence from Uganda
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Devaprasad Sahadevan
    Title: Transitioning into Retirement: Effect of Pension Expansion on Elderly Labor Force Participation in India
    Advisor: External Advisor / Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Nettie Silvernale
    Title: Do Conditional Cash Transfers Increase School Enrollment? Evidence from Brazil
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes & Kimberly Singer Babiarz 

    Rajshri Suresh
    Title: Temperature effects on prevalence of sexually transmitted infections among at-risk female sex workers in India
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

    Yibekal Tessema
    Title: The Role of Learning Styles in the Uptake of Index Insurance: Evidence from Kenya
    Advisor: Andrew Hobbs

    Jean Plantin
    Title: The Effect of Foreign Direct Investment on Colombia's Economic Growth and Role of Human Capital: Does Foreign Direct Investment Foster Growth?
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

    Name: Safia Belayadi
    Title: Who Benefits From Park and Recreation Improvements in San Francisco?
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes

     

    Name: Noriel Campos
    Title: Income Inequality in America: Conclusions from 100 years of Income Tax Data and Cross-Country Comparisons
    Advisor: Libo Xu
     

    Name: James Zumel Dumlao
    Title: Innovation Dynamics of Cultural Production: Evidence in Rap Lyrics
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Dalia Elgebaly
    Title: An Estimated New Keynesian Model for the Egyptian Economy
    Advisor: Libo Xu

     

    Name: Mary Wanja Gathungu
    Title: Estimating Treatment Effect Heterogeneity in a Comprehensive Microenterprise Intervention
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

     

    Name: Jorge Herrera
    Title: Cruise Ship Ports and Human Capital Development: The Case of Mexico
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Diana Herrera Gutierrez
    Title: Mentoring Effects on Microbusiness Growth in Medellin, Colombia
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

     

    Name: Lauren Lamson
    Title: The Effect of Sex of Firstborn Children on Fertility Preferences
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Agamani Maity
    Title: Oil Price Changes and Unemployment Rate in the U.S. and Chile
    Advisor: Libo Xu

     

    Name: Ryan McWay
    Title: Cruising Through School: General Equilibrium Effects of Cruise Ship Arrivals on Employment and Education
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes


    Name: Shuvam Rizal
    Title: The Effect of Sex of Firstborn Children on Attitudes Towards Intimate Partner Violence
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Katelyn (Katie) Roett
    Title: Green Gold: Avocado Price Shocks and Violence in Mexico
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Stephanie Smith
    Title: Estimating Predictors of Mental Well-Being Through Analysis of Children's Drawings: The Case of Syrian Refugees
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick

     

    Name: Anna Subirana I Boffil
    Title: The Role of High Fructose Corn Syrup Imports in Child and Maternal Obesity
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     


    Name: Gladys Wachira
    Title: Impact of Oil Price Shocks on Inflation: The Case of BRICS Countries
    Advisor: Libo Xu
     


    Name: Zhenyao Yuan
    Title: The Effect of the Second-Stage Anti-Corruption Campaign on Provincial Development in China, 2015-2017
    Advisor: Peter Lorentzen

    Name: Mahsa Ashabi
    Title: Captive Nations: Measuring Economic Growth on Native American Reservations in California
    Advisor: Jesse Anttila-Hughes


    Name: Yurlady Chaverra-Palacios
    Title: Measuring Cocoa Agricultural Productivity: A Spatio-Temporal Econometric Approach
    Advisor: Yaniv Stopnitzky

     

    Name: Ian Connors
    Title: Financial Red Flags: Empirical Mapping of Firm Political Preferences by Sector in Mexico
    Advisor: Peter Lorentzen, Michael Jonas


    Name: Sarah Elmes
    Title: Better Fishing Conditions Improve Child Nutrition: Global Evidence from Satellite Data
    Advisor: Yaniv Stopnitzky, Jesse Antilla-Hughes

     

    Name: Bethany Gerdemann
    Title: Competition and Cooperation in Polygynous & Monogamous Households: Experimental Evidence from Sierra Leone
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar, Yaniv Stopnitzky
     

    Name: Madison Levine
    Title: The Behavioral Determinants of Well-Being in Sierra Leone
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar

     

    Name: Shikhar Mehra
    Title: Economic Shocks and Personality Traits of the Ultra-Poor
    Advisor: Yaniv Stopnitzky

     

    Name: Isabel Miranda
    Title: The Long-Run Effects of Tropical Cyclones on Infant Mortality
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes
     

    Name: Candy Moreno-Garcia
    Title: Mentoring Female Entrepreneurs: Revenue Analysis
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick
     

    Name: Ashwini Shridhar
    Title: Are Menstrual Cycles a Biological Determinant of Well-Being Amongst Sierra Leonean Schoolchildren?
    Advisor: Alessandra Cassar
     

    Name: Susann Skjoldhorne
    Title: The Effect of Disability Status on Parental Input: A Study from India
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick
     

    Name: Theresa Solenski
    Title: Empowering Female Entrepreneurs Through Mentorship in Medellin, Colombia: Results from the Field
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick
     

    Name: John Sutton
    Title: Temperature and Tempers: Heat Impact on Mood and Language
    Advisor: Jesse Antilla-Hughes
     

    Name: Mustafa Zahid
    Title: The Impact of Cleft Lip/Palate and CLP Surgical Intervention on the Social Integration of Adolescents in India
    Advisor: Bruce Wydick