Dahyun Park, UCI economics major, is the recipient of the 2025 Charles A. Lave Paper Prize. The honor, which includes a $1,600 prize, recognizes a paper that displays clear exposition of creative models (theories) and points to, or includes, data that permit evaluation of the models. The prize is named in honor of Charles Lave, an economics professor who served on the UCI faculty for more than 30 years who valued creative thinking, clear writing, and innovative uses of empirical data. Below, Park shares her award-winning work on the impact of fully remote work on fertility rates and where she plans to go from here.

What drew you to study economics?

I decided to pursue economics because I find it interesting how economics is at the intersection of large-scale global policies and individual decision-making. The study of economics includes broader societal issues like inflation and unemployment, but there is also a focus on how individual households and firms respond to incentives and external forces. I’m also drawn to how economic research uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Research in economics involves a lot of statistics and data, but it also requires interpretation and context for human behavior. That balance makes the field engaging and exciting to learn. 

For my research, I chose to discuss fertility because the decline in fertility rates is becoming a significant societal issue, particularly in South Korea, where I’m from. But this issue is not unique to Korea; the decline is happening worldwide, including the United States. I’m interested in how fertility is affected by various social and economic phenomena. While thinking of the various factors that impact fertility, remote work stood out to me. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many remote work opportunities came about, and stayed even after the pandemic has subsided. Thus, I wanted to see whether there was a significant impact of remote work on fertility, comparing pre- and post-pandemic years.  

When will you be graduating and what are your plans thereafter? 

I’m going to graduate in spring 2025 and I plan to eventually go to graduate school. I’m not sure about what specific field I want to pursue within economics, but I’m excited to continue learning and researching.

What would you consider your biggest accomplishment at UCI?

I would consider my honors thesis as my biggest accomplishment at UCI. When I started, I wasn’t sure what research was or what to expect. I faced challenges at every step: developing a research topic, reading and understanding the existing literature, collecting and cleaning data, and conducting appropriate analyses. It was completely different from the typical lectures and exams in my other classes. Through this process, however, I feel like I grew a lot as a student. Despite all the challenges, I found research to be both interesting and extremely rewarding. I thoroughly enjoyed applying the concepts I learned in class to real world situations, and it was fulfilling to contribute something, however small, to this field.

What activities have you been involved with during your time as an Anteater?

I worked as a Peer Assistant at the Economics Learning Center (ELC) this past year and I help students with their coursework in introductory and intermediate economics courses. It has been really fulfilling because I am able to help others learn and engage with material that I find interesting and fun. Economics can be challenging, particularly for those who are new to it, and I like working with different ways of thinking and breaking ideas down to help with understanding. Working at the ELC also allows me to review concepts and reinforce my understanding of these topics as well. The ELC is a place where economics students can get help from peers who have taken the same classes and study with other classmates, and I really enjoy working there. 

Who at UCI has played an important mentorship role in your college journey?

At UCI, my advisor, economics professor Jan Brueckner, has played a very important mentorship role in my research journey. I didn’t really know what economic research entailed, or where to even begin. While taking Professor Brueckner’s public economics class, I went to his office hours frequently and learned about the honors program at UCI. Professor Brueckner has provided me with valuable feedback and insight at every step during my research journey. Under his mentorship, I was not only able to navigate through all of the challenges of research but also felt inspired to pursue further education and research in economics. I am incredibly grateful to have had such a dedicated mentor during my time at UCI.

Where can you most often be found on campus?

I can most often be found helping other students at the ELC or studying at the Student Center. I also enjoy exploring campus and finding hidden study spots, or just lying down in Aldrich Park.  

What’s your best memory thus far from your undergraduate experience at UCI?

I really enjoyed presenting my research at the Undergraduate Research Symposium this Spring. I was excited to share my work with a broader audience after working on it for almost the entire academic year. Hearing how others interpreted and engaged with my research made the research experience feel more meaningful, and I engaged in a lot of great conversations with those who came by. It was also fun to see everyone else’s research projects, not just in economics but in other fields as well.