NBER Entrepreneurship Research Boot Camp

Call for Applicants

The NBER Entrepreneurship Working Group is hosting the 3rd Entrepreneurship Research Boot Camp (ERBC). This intensive workshop provides an introduction into the leading research topics in the areas of the economics of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial finance. The workshop is sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

When: Wednesday, July 28th to Saturday, July 31st
Accepted student are also welcome to attend the NBER Entrepreneurship Working Group meeting on Tuesday July 27th

Where: NBER, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.

Program: The program will be taught by experienced and active researcher professors. Each day will have 6 hours of instruction. The preliminary line-up includes Ed Glaeser (Harvard), John Haltiwanger (University of Maryland), Thomas Hellmann (UBC), Josh Lerner (Harvard), Annamaria Lusardi (Dartmouth), David Robinson (Duke), Antoinette Schoar (MIT), and Scott Stern (Northwestern).

For whom: The boot camp is meant to promote research interest in the areas of entrepreneurship economics and/or entrepreneurial finance. It is particularly well suited for PhD students in economics and finance, who are either considering, or already doing research in these areas. While the boot camp is primarily intended for PhD students, it is also suitable for post-docs and early-career assistant professors with an interest in these areas of research. The minimum requirement is that (by the summer) participants will have completed their first year of PhD course work. Participants are expected to carefully prepare for the workshop. In particular, they are expected to read a syllabus of over 50 papers prior to the boot camp.

Costs: The ERBC is generously supported by a grant from the Kauffman Foundation. Participation is free and restricted to admitted applicants – no auditors will be admitted. Participants will be accommodated for four nights (five if also attending the NBER Entrepreneurship Working Group meeting). Travel expenses will be covered, provided they are in accordance with standard NBER procedures.

Application: Applicants will be selected on a competitive basis. Each applicant should submit an application containing the following items:

(i) A cover letter that includes complete contact information, as well as the name of the recommendation letter writer.
(ii) A Curriculum Vitae of the applicant, together with a list of all current and completed PhD courses.
(iii) A two-page essay that explains why the applicant wants to attend the boot camp. This should include a brief description of the applicant’s current and future research direction.
(iv) One letter of recommendation from the applicant’s current or former PhD advisor. Letters of recommendation should be short (no more than 2 pages), they will be treated confidentially, and they should be sent separately from the applicants’ application.

The application deadline is Friday, March 26th!

Acceptance decisions will be made by early May. Accepted participants will be expected to come prepared by reading a syllabus of over 50 papers prior to the beginning of the ERBC.

All applications and letters of recommendations should be sent to the administrative coordinator:

Brett Maranjian
National Bureau of Economic Research
1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138, US
maranjian@nber.org

For any questions concerning academic matters, please contact the academic coordinator:

Thomas Hellmann
University of Britih Columbia
Sauder School of Business
2053 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC,
Canada V6T 1Z2
Tel: (604) 822-8476
hellmann@sauder.ubc.ca