Russell Sage Foundation Summer Institute in Behavioral Economics

Russell Sage Foundation Summer Institute in Behavioral Economics 2026

Announcement and Application Procedures 

From the evening of Sunday, June 28 (arrival) to the morning of Tuesday, July 7 (departure), the 16th Summer Institute in Behavioral Economics will be held at Endicott House, Dedham MA: https://mitendicotthouse.org/tour/index.htm. The workshop introduces graduate students and starting faculty in economics to the findings and methods for using psychological principles to improve economic research. Candidates in other disciplines—such as psychology, business administration, or public policy—with advanced training in economics are also eligible. 

The co-organizers and principal faculty are David Laibson and Matthew Rabin, who will attend the full program. Visiting faculty include Raj Chetty, Stefano DellaVigna, Rebecca Dizon-Ross, George Loewenstein, Ulrike Malmendier, Frank Schilbach, Richard Thaler, and Lise Vesterlund. The program will include sessions outlining foundational principles and evidence; approaches to integrating these principles into economics; and applications in different economic contexts. There will also be panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and opportunities for participants to discuss their own research ideas with the organizers, visiting faculty, and other participants. (Past programs can be found at http://scholar.harvard.edu/laibson/node/31619.)

Participation is restricted to Ph.D. students who by July 2026 will have completed at least one year of their program, and faculty and postdocs who earned a Ph.D. since May 2024. 

Housing costs and meals served as part of the program (breakfasts, snacks between sessions, and almost all lunches and dinners) will be covered. We also provide a capped stipend for travel expenses, which is linked to the location of your doctoral program and set to cover most, but not all, of the costs of travel from there. (Those admitted for whom unavoidable travel costs in excess of the stipend would generate financial hardship should let us know.) Participants will be required to complete some assigned readings in advance, and to fully attend the entire formal educational program from the morning of June 29 through the afternoon of July 6th. 

There are no application instructions beyond this announcement. Applications must be submitted via the RSF online portal, Fluxx. Instructions: (1) Create an account (no later than Friday, March 20) (2) Start a new “Summer Institute” application and select “Behavioral Economics.” (3) Complete the Fluxx application form and submit the following documents: i) a CV; ii) a statement (maximum three pages) describing your interest in behavioral economics and (if any) relevant research; iii) two letters of recommendation from faculty advisors (submitted separately via the Fluxx portal); and for PhD applicants only iv) PhD transcripts of courses and grades (unofficial copy). Note: We anticipate a large pool of highly qualified applicants and to make admission decisions quickly, so applications and letters must be received by the deadline; letters can be brief, but as informative as possible about your standing in the program (e.g., approximate rank in your doctoral class, comparisons to previous participants), research potential, and (if applicable) involvement in behavioral economics. Complete applications, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by Friday, March 27. We will notify applicants by Wednesday, April 8, and will ask participants to confirm participation soon thereafter. Send all inquiries to RSF.Summer.School@gmail.com. Anybody who needs information before April 8 can (after submitting their application) email such a request with an explanation; we will try to accommodate such requests. Technical questions about the application portal (Fluxx) should be sent to grantsmgt@rsage.org.

Previous Behavioral Camp Information