IED Student Resources

Computer Labs

IED maintains 4 computer labs with a total of 30 computers; the labs are located at 264 Bay State Road on the 5th floor rooms: 514, 523, 525 and 540.

When Are the Computer Labs Open?

During normal business hours M-F 8am to 10pm, only during the weekends if events are planned. The building and computer labs are closed during intersession and on holidays.

Computing Problems?

elangdon@bu.edu

Printing Problems?

Paper jams, low toner signals and any other issues should be reported directly to Page After Page by calling 1-800 441-0539 X203. Please give the machine ID Number.
Paper will be supplied by IED and located in each computer lab.
All computers are equipped with word processing, spreadsheet, mathematical and statistical software packages.
Each lab has a black and white laser printer.
There is a copier and scanner in room 525.

How Do I Access the Computer labs?

The IED Computer Labs have secured access therefore you will need to have a BUID, Kerberos password and a user file on CASFS1 network before you can be added to the security system.

BUID instructions are found in your admission packet or you can go to the Terrier Card Office located in the GSU Basement.
Kerberos password is established at the Information Technology Office at 111 Cummington St. http://www.bu.edu/computing/accounts/acsaccounts/index.html
CASFS1 Folder contact CASHELP at http://cashelp.bu.edu/ this is where you will request a folder to save your documents while using the Computer Labs.

Once you have all of the above please go to office 510 or 512 at 264 Bay State Road to request that you be added to the security system for the Computer Labs.

Distinguished Visitors Program

A new program of Distinguished Research Visitors was initiated by IED this past year. Distinguished Economists from other Universities visited for periods ranging between three days and two weeks. During that time they gave a mini-course on their topic of specialization to our graduate students, conduct office hours where they will met with students one-on-one, and gave a departmental seminar. This program will be continued throughout the coming year. Click here for a listing of upcoming visitors.

Editing Services

English Language Editing Grants for International Students

Editing Grants are available to help cover costs of English language editing: IED has two staff persons available to edit your papers. The applications for grants should be submitted prior to the actual editing. The following are the types of editing services available for international students:

Presentations: One (40 page maximum) paper per student during any calendar year will be considered by an IED faculty committee.

Job Applications: Selected papers must be required as part of job application.

Dissertation: Final edits on dissertation after your defense.

Applications Requirements

Your application for editing services are to be submitted before you have your paper edited and should be submitted to Eleanor Langdon (elangdon@bu.edu) and contain the following:

Cover sheet completed
Abstract
A copy of a letter that the paper has been accepted for presentation at a conference, or documentation that it is required as part of a job application
A recommendation from a faculty advisor.

Fax Services

Receiving: To receive a fax, have it sent to (617) 353-4143, the fax machine in room 510. Make sure it is clearly addressed to you (in English). Please email Courtney at csull@bu.edu if you are expecting a fax.

Sending: To send a fax, ask the staff person in room 510. It will be faxed for you as soon as possible. Once sent, it will be returned to your mail folder or mailbox.

Digital Sender: To create a pdf and fax it to an email address ask the staff person in room 510.

IED Career Development Workshops

Job Interviewing Techniques

This workshop is presented by the Career Services Office and ISSO who will give professional advising on interviewing techniques and will incorporate visa issues for international students when interviewing for jobs in the US. Both MA and PhD students are encouraged to attend.

Resume Writing

This workshop will be conducted early in the Fall Semester so that all MA students can have a professional resume ready for job market recruiting in December. Those resumes created in the workshop will be compiled into a resume brochure which is distributed to roughly 150 potential employers. Those not participating in the workshop will not be included in the brochure.

Writing Workshop for International Economics Graduate Students

A modified version of BU’s Center for English Language and Orientation Program’s (CELOP) course which is designed to ”help you improve your writing skills by teaching you the elements of clear, coherent, grammatically correct English writing. You will review organizational techniques for developing and presenting your ideas and learn how to combine sentences effectively. Advanced students will also learn how to paraphrase without plagiarizing, and attribute material from other sources. You will also work on the overall writing process, learning to continually revise your writing so that the final draft is a sophisticated and accurate product”. Mini-workshop will require intense writing practice for the duration. The Workshops are offered in the Fall and Spring semester for master’s and PhD students.

IED Databank

IED maintains the Research Data Network as a catalog and repository of data contributed by faculty and graduate students of Boston University’s Department of Economics. Additionally, the Network is linked to other data sources and information helpful to economics researchers. The purpose is to enable wider sharing of existing datasets already collected by faculty and students, in order to facilitate collaborative research or opportunities for subsequent independent work. Information about this data bank is available at: http://www.bu.edu/econ/centers/ied/researchdatanetwork/

IED Seminar Series

IED sponsors a weekly seminar series throughout the academic year which all faculty and graduate students are invited to attend. The seminars are on Mondays from 3:30 to 5:00 PM in Room 315. As the list of speakers and topics is finalized, a schedule will be posted on bulletin boards throughout the department, as well as on the IED website. Copies of seminar papers can usually be downloaded from the website and hard copies are usually available outside Room 510 by the Friday before each seminar.

Library Resources

Boston University’s Economics Bibliographer works closely with Department faculty and with IED and both Mugar and Pardee libraries contain economics materials. In addition, BU subscribes to many economics databases and journals on-line. While the journals are often accessed through Science Direct http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journals/economics and JStore www.jstor.org, the easiest way to find out whether BU subscribes to the journal you seek is to go to http://www.bu.edu/library/ejournals/index.html and search by title. You can also search the BU library site for resources by subject, i.e., economics at: http://www.bu.edu/library/eresources/econe.html

If there are materials that a number of students would like access to, please submit a letter/email to Eleanor so possible purchase of the material can be discussed both with a faculty panel and with the bibliographer.

Peer Advising

IED offers a peer advising service for incoming international students, to help them make the transition to living and studying in Boston. Peer advisors answer questions about the programs and the department, may meet students at the airport and help students find housing, banking, and shopping. For a more complete description of the peer advising program, please visit the website: http://people.bu.edu/msiemer/phc/Home.html

If you are interested in having a peer advisor please contact Michael Siemer, the peer advising coordinator, by email at msiemer@bu.edu.

Student Journal Submission Grants (NEW)

IED offers journal submission grants to graduate students in the Economics Department in order to assist students with their publications costs. Each student will be required to pay the first twenty-five dollars towards the total amount of the journal fees, and then student is eligible to receive reimbursements of the remaining costs including any subscription costs relating to the journal entry requirements. Applications should be submitted after journal submissions have been submitted:

All Journal Grants are required to include a completed cover sheet, which will include the following information:

Journal Name and copy of the publication and cost requirements
Your Name
Email
BUID
Address to which check should be sent (leave blank if check is sent to the department)
Advisors recommendation
Abstract
List receipts in table (If currency conversion is required enter conversion rate in table and note next to the receipt the conversion, also include a copy of the conversion rates used for day of expense (http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/) If the receipts are in a foreign language a written description of the receipt is required

Once you have submitted your application, with all of your requirements as shown on the cover sheet and taped (not stapled) onto 8 1/2 x 11 paper in chronological order. Your application will be reviewed and based on approval will be submitted for reimbursement

Each application should be given to Eleanor located in office 512 email questions to elangdon@bu.edu.

Student Reading Groups

IED encourages PhD students to form reading groups in different fields, and can provide a limited amount of funding to cover costs of inviting visitors from neighboring areas, or of light snacks when the workshop meets at mealtimes. The funding is based on how many students are participating on a weekly/biweekly basis per semester. Clarification or questions should be directed to Eleanor Langdon.

The department expects reading groups to be formed spontaneously and managed by students themselves, with the support and involvement of at least one faculty member. The main intention is to encourage presentation of research in progress, in order to generate feedback and discussion. We need some coordination across groups to prevent excessive overlap or duplication of fields. They could be organized by the standard PhD fields such as macro, micro theory, econometrics, empirical micro, IO and health, development etc. But a reading group could also be formed around other field definitions (e.g., political economy, international economics, or finance) which attracts ten or more PhD students. Once formed, every group should be ready to accept any PhD student in the department that wants to join it.

To form a reading group for any given semester or academic year, we need at least two organizing students and a faculty member to apply, providing the following information:

Group name
Meeting Purpose
Location
Day
Time
Member names

Once you have received approval for funding you will need to setup the schedule and post it on the departmental webpage under Workshops. Your group name and a short sentence giving the place, time and frequency that you will be meeting and an email address so that interested students/faculty can have a contact. List your schedule which will include Date, Author(s), and Paper Title for each meeting. (See website for format.)

Student Research Awards

The Institute for Economic Development welcomes applications from doctoral students in the Economics Department for student research awards. These awards for research can be used by the students to fund either expenses of carrying out their research (e.g., data collection) or for dissemination purposes (e.g., travel to present papers at major economics conferences). Data grants will be limited until the fall semester of the year they defend their thesis, or first six years of their enrollment in the PhD program, whichever is earlier Applications should contain the following:

Cover sheet completed
Enumerate and justify the anticipated expenses
Applications should not exceed three pages
A recommendation from a faculty advisor
Submit application to Eleanor Langdon (Room 512, 264 Bay State Road, ied@bu.edu) anytime during the academic year.
Applications will be reviewed by an IED faculty committee
Reimbursement of approved awards will require original receipts for travel, hotels, transportation and fees.

Student Travel Grants

IED offers travel grants to graduate students in the Economics Department in order to present papers at conferences. Each student is given up to $2000 per academic year toward travel. Travel to conferences will be limited until the fall semester of the year students defend their thesis, or first six years of their enrollment in the PhD program, whichever is earlier. Applications should be submitted after attending the conference and as described below:

All Travel Grants are required to include a completed cover sheet which will include the following information:

Conference Name and Dates
Your Name
Email
BUID
Address to which check should be sent (leave blank if check is sent to the department)
Advisors recommendation
Invitation to conference
Abstract
List receipts of travel in chronicle order in table (If currency conversion is required enter conversion rate in table and note next to the receipt the conversion, also include a copy of the conversion rates used for day of expense (http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/) If the receipts are in a foreign language a written description of the receipt is required
Travel grant money that you receive during that academic year

Once you have submitted your application, with all of your receipts as shown on the cover sheet and taped (not stapled) onto 8 1/2 x 11 paper in chronological order. Your application will be reviewed and based on approval will be submitted for reimbursement

Each application should be given to Eleanor located in office 512 email questions to elangdon@bu.edu