The Economics Pipeline Project is an existing initiative of the American Economic Association's Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession (CSMGEP). The Project's goal is to expand the pool of minority Ph.D. economists using a series of interventions targeted at critical stages in their training and professional development. The initiative includes two interrelated programs: a Summer Training Program and a Mentor Program.
Students, their mentors, and a selected group of economists participate in an annual 2-day conference with formal and informal sessions on research, graduate school and the early years of one's professional career. Thus, together with the Summer Program the Mentor Program focuses on helping students navigate critical stages in their professional development, including: establishing an interest in economics, preparing for graduate school, completing core theory and field exams, initiating dissertation research, finding a job, and if they pursue an academic position, obtaining tenure.
Currently, 20 graduate students are active members, with at least two going on the job market in the fall of 2005. We have identified 16 students from the 2004 American Economics Association Summer Program that are eligible for the program. It is important to note that past participation in the Summer Program is not a requirement for participating in the Mentoring Program. Because of that, we receive applications from many non-Summer Program participants. We are eager to enroll any applicant, but it is contingent on having the funds to support the conference, collaborative research and the tracking of participants.
Broader Impacts: Since 1974, CSMGEP has overseen a Summer Training Program to prepare talented minority students for doctoral programs in economics. The Mentor Program is a relatively new component, designed to build on the existing Summer Program so as to establish a pipeline--or longer term support system--for minority students interested in pursuing economics Ph.D.s. Participating students are linked to a group of professional economists and expected to maintain contact throughout graduate school and their careers. Mentors receive a training handbook. They are expected to attend the two-day conference and work cooperatively with the student's departmental adviser. The two components of the Economics Pipeline Project have become increasingly integrated and mutually supportive. The Mentor Program's conference is now held at the Summer Program's site, enabling the younger students to meet and attend paper presentations and panel discussions.
To date, nine participants have become assistant professors and one has recently joined Mathematic Policy Research, Inc. Because of this success, this year's conference included a general session on the early years of a tenure track position and a session on publishing. Because of this growth, we will begin to implement aspects of CeMENT, the junior faculty mentoring program that is run by the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession.
