UF student Samantha Waterston selected for summer economics institute at the University of Chicago
Samantha Waterston, a third-year student at the University of Florida, has been fascinated with economics ever since her childhood – when she grew up listening to the Freakonomics podcast with her father.
So Waterston was thrilled when one of her academic dreams was recently realized: she was selected for the highly competitive Expanding Discovery in Economics+ Summer Institute at the University of Chicago.
The nine-week program, from June 2 to July 30, brings together early undergraduate students from colleges across the country to develop long-term research projects in economics and related fields. Participants are exposed to some of the most innovative faculty members and practitioners in the field, as they engage in skill-building coursework and attend daily lectures. Only 45 students were selected in 2024 from a rigorous evaluation process involving nearly 1,000 applicants.
“I didn’t think I would get in, so this is very exciting. This opportunity will allow me to learn from researchers at Brookings Institution, the University of Chicago and other economic institutions that are working in that field, to better prepare myself for my future work,” said Waterston, who is majoring in economics and statistics with a minor in geography. “It will also help me further develop my data analysis and research skills, which are necessary for a successful career in economics.”
Originally from Oviedo, Florida, the 20-year-old Waterston chose UF because of the quality of its research labs and the opportunity to be part of the UF Honors Program.
“I love learning how economics can be applied to understanding people and communities,” Waterston said. “I've always been interested in studying the relationship between people and their communities, and I hope to continue that in my future career.”
Waterston advises other UF students interested in competitive programs like the University of Chicago summer institute to focus on perfecting their application essays.
“That’s the best avenue to showcase who you are. I made an appointment at the Writing Studio and they really helped me fine-tune my essays,” Waterston said. “They want to see that you're a real person and that you're passionate, and I think that comes best through your words and not just through your resume.”
Waterston also credits professors like David Sappington, Ph.D., who introduced her to the academic side of economics, and Yujie Hu, Ph.D. in the geography department, who welcomed her into the Geospatial Network Analysis and Visualization Lab as a freshman.
In the lab, Waterston has collaborated with Hu on a project examining how distance and socioeconomic variables shape the formation of crime networks and their interactions, leading to crime “generators” (areas where many offenders originate) and “attractors” (places where many offenders converge).
Using crime location and home address data, the team built two networks illustrating how different census block groups send or receive information about offenders, helping pinpoint areas that drive or attract crime. Statistical models such as Exponential Random Graph Models and regression were applied to assess the network structure, socioeconomic variables and spatial relationships to understand better how crime spreads. After nearly two years of work, the analysis is almost complete and the team is preparing a manuscript for publication.
To further her research, Waterston is considering pursuing a Ph.D. in economics. Her long-term goal is to combine her economics, statistics and geography knowledge to study urban areas and improve education and transportation access. The summer institute at the University of Chicago will be an invaluable step for Waterston as she works toward her future plans.
“I hope other students interested in academic economics can learn more about these programs and maybe apply,” Waterston said. “I’m excited to see where it goes.”