Retirement Policy Research competition

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 17:57:19 -0500

Here is the competition information.
https://iomechallenge.org/

This requires research, writing, data analysis, and presentation skills. If you win you get a cash prize ($5,000 split among the team) and present your research essay at a conference in June in Washington DC.

ECON 493 credit (3 credits) is available, and you could do an URCAD presentation too.

A team of two or three is optimal (one person is not enough).

By 1/24 send in one e-mail to <lamdin@umbc.edu>:

Proposed team, resumes, writing/research project sample for at least one team member, statement of interest stating why you want to do this, statement that the team will have the time to work on this (if you have 6 courses and an internship this Spring you probably do not have time), and the team has the skill set needed. I can look up transcripts.

iOme Challenge Team can be the e-mail subject line

I will select the one team that shows the strongest combination of: transcripts (courses and GPA), a convincing statement of interest, at least one team member with good data analysis skills (ECON 421 for example), and preferably at least one team member I already know who had ECON 374 or 475 with me with an A grade.