Pictured above, from left to right: René Crespin, Anne Burton, David Wasser, Joy Wu, Molly Doruska, Sam Dodini, and Jose Maria U. Tapia
Diversity in Cornell Economics (DICE for short) is a new student organization for undergraduate and graduate students working to promote equity and a sense of belonging for everyone studying and working in economics. DICE seeks to formalize efforts to promote diversity among the economics community at Cornell and beyond. We were founded in Fall 2019 by a group of graduate students from Applied Economics and Management, Economics, and Policy Analysis and Management.
Our mission is to strive toward equity in economics and related fields, empower students to progress in the field, and provide a sense of belonging for all members of the economics community, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups. Within the economics community, historically underrepresented groups include (but are not limited to) those who identify as women, African Americans, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Americans, and LGBTQ+. You do not need to be a member of one of these groups in order to join DICE; we welcome and encourage participation from anyone who supports our mission.
Why is improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in economics important? People with different backgrounds and experiences ask different questions or approach questions from different angles. This matters for our everyday life because economists have a lot of influence in public policy discussions. For example, what are the consequences of tax reform, Medicare for All, or a universal basic income? Policymakers turn to economists to answer these questions because their training provides them with the right tools and insights for the job. However, the relevance of these tools and insights depends on whether we are asking the right questions and taking all of the important factors into consideration. We need these diverse perspectives because if we are not asking the right questions, we will not get the right answers.
Unfortunately, many people think economists only care about the stock market or work at banks when the reality is that we do so much more. DICE hopes to change this misperception by engaging with Cornell undergraduates interested in economics and related fields. We are hosting an event on April 8th to showcase the variety of career paths in economics.
What: 3 Minute Economics: What is an Economist?
When: April 8th from 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Mann 102
This event will include faculty and alumni from Cornell’s Economics, Applied Economics and Management, Policy Analysis and Management, and Industrial and Labor Relations departments, each giving a three-minute presentation about how they got started in economics and what working in economics looks like in their career. Our goal is to illustrate the many career paths and employment opportunities available to you within economics (and yes, there will be free food).
For more information, please contact DICE on Twitter @Cornell_DICE or email speakingeconomics@gmail.com. You can also find out more about us by visiting our website: diversity-in-cornell-economics.github.io.
