Seminar Series

In recent years, polygenic scores have become the favored tool for summarizing the influence of genetic predispositions on phenotypic characteristics and behavior when the genetic effect arises from the accumulation of small effects from a potentially very large number of genetic markers. Columbia University's Thomas DiPrete discusses the potential use of polygenic scores as proxies for unobservables in the context of a returns to schooling estimation.

Using individually linked data for all RI children born between 1991 and 2005 that includes early childhood blood lead levels, in-school disciplinary infractions and juvenile detention, Anna Aizer examines the impact of early lead exposure on future delinquency. She discusses how exposure to lead is associated with a significantly greater likelihood of in-school disciplinary infractions and juvenile detention.

UCLA'S Rodrigo Pinto examines a range of questions regarding social experiments concerning young adults: inference under compromised randomization, cost-benefit analysis, external validity and impact evaluation. He also discusses the economics of human capital accumulation of early childhood interventions, policy evaluation, and causality.

Cornell University's Chris Wildeman discusses maltreatment, racial inequality and geographic variation in the foster care system.

Research computing has changed dramatically in the last few years, and those changes are reshaping how Duke provides research computing support to Duke researchers. The scope and characteristics of computing for research has long come in "large packages" that have unyielding rules and restrictions -- to which researchers conformed their research projects. Increasingly, the emphasis has shifted, so that researchers now have the opportunity to tailor computing resources to fit their particular needs. Duke's Mark DeLong explores this transformation in research computing and presents offerings that Duke Research Computing has developed.

Oxford University's Melinda Mills discusses her projects, which combine demographic, sociological, biological and molecular genetic research to study the life course.

Duke's Jessica Ho discusses whether demographic, socioeconomic, labor force/industrial conditions, public assistance and income inequality are related to county-level drug overdose death rates in 1999-2010.