The Vilfredo Pareto Prize for the Best Thesis in Economics 2018

The Vilfredo Pareto Prize for the Best Thesis in Economics for 2018 will be awarded to Andresa Lagerborg for her thesis on ‘Essays in Macroeconomics: Confidence, Business Cycles and Fertility’.

The award pays tribute to Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian sociologist, economist, political scientist and philosopher who lived and worked in Florence and Fiesole between 1882 and 1892. Today, many regard him to have been one of the pioneers of modern scientific research in economics. This is only the fourth year in which the Economics Department has conferred the prize.

Lagerborg’s thesis ‘investigates the role of movements in confidence in causing economic fluctuations,’ she explained, ‘and how household fertility decisions respond to the business cycle and to labour markets.’

Speaking to EUI Life ahead of the annual conferring ceremony on 15 June, where she will accept the award, described the ‘great honour’ of receiving the Vilfredo Pareto Prize. ‘I am very thankful to the European University Institute for granting me the opportunity to study, my professors for all they have taught me, and my friends for sharing this journey,’ she revealed. ‘It has been a true privilege.’

‘The PhD experience at the EUI has been about hard work and perseverance,’ Lagerborg explained. ‘Yet it has also been about a collection of moments – meeting people from different cultures, exchanging ideas, enjoying time together in work, sports and leisure. These memories will forever remain engraved.’

Andresa Lagerborg will receive the Vilfredo Pareto Prize at the EUI conferring ceremony on June 15 2018.