Rozowski told Carver about the UVA opportunity, noting that she had become a strong researcher and the UVA lab would be a “remarkable next step” in her trajectory.
“Grace’s summer experience is a great story for several reasons, not the least of which being that she earned a place in a very small national research cohort alongside students from some of the country’s strongest universities working with leading scholars in the field,” Rozowski says.
A standout applicant and team leader
Carver says that the 10 weeks on the Charlottesville campus went fast, and all aspects of the experience far exceeded her expectations.
“I was pushed to perform at my highest level and had fun doing it,” Carver says. “I learned an unbelievable amount about every step of the research process, from asking important questions to delivering results in an effective way.”
Carver adds that in addition to the “lifelong friends” she found on her research team, the support she received from UVA faculty was, and continues to be, “invaluable.”
The UVA faculty primary investigators for the summer program were:
- Dr. Jay Shimshack, professor of public policy and economics and associate dean for academic affairs in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.
- Dr. Jonathan Colmer, associate professor of economics and public policy and director of the Environmental Inequality Lab in the Department of Economics.
This is the second year of the program and its first year accepting applications on a national scale. Both Shimshack and Colmer remarked that Carver and her UW-Eau Claire skill set were huge assets to the project. Her application demonstrated what the team needed: training in economic and mathematical reasoning, practical experience working in the energy or environmental sector and a strong faculty champion in Rozowski.
“When we interviewed Grace, we were blown away by her curiosity, independence and enthusiasm,” Shimshack says. “She genuinely communicated a desire to learn more about research and a career in economics research.”
Carver says that she settled into the summer work well, feeling confident early on that her previous experience had prepared her to contribute in meaningful ways.
“I felt that my research skills and background in environmental economics helped me stand out in a very competitive cohort,” she says. “I felt confident in my research abilities and was able to contribute at a high level. I’d say I also felt very comfortable working independently and identifying next steps without direct instruction.”
About that skill level and confidence, Carver’s UVA mentors agree.
“Grace’s work was superb,” Colmer says. “She quickly got up to speed on the fundamentals of environmental and energy economics, reproducible and efficient coding and research practices, data visualization and responsible and ethical AI use. She also processed a notoriously difficult database using a variety of statistical tools and was meticulous in documenting her choices.”
From first-generation jitters to Ph.D. dreams
While Carver’s level of research and analysis skill was no surprise to her UW-Eau Claire faculty mentors, she admits it did come as somewhat of a surprise to her.
“Navigating college as a first-generation student can absolutely be intimidating,” Carver says about her early semesters and her decisions to join various research projects as well as the Mark Stephen Cosby Honors College.
“Just a few years ago, the thought of a Ph.D. hadn’t even crossed my mind. I was interested in graduating, getting a job and moving on. However, as I took more classes and became involved in collaborative research, my passion for economics and research grew,” she says.
“Faculty mentors in economics like Dr. Yan Li (professor of economics) and Dr. Rozowski pushed me to succeed and supported me when I felt overwhelmed and out of place,” Carver says.
From Rozowski’s perspective, he says he always saw a motivated and engaged student in Carver, one who other students turned to for leadership in class.
“It was an honors colloquium course, and I could see how hard she was working, both inside and out of class,” Rozowski says. “She was taking on a lot and doing it all well. I was also a first-generation college student, and I know it can feel like an uphill battle when you aren’t fully familiar with what it takes to succeed. But Grace has had the drive to learn and grow and challenge herself.”
As she embarks on her senior year with excitement and energy far beyond graduation, Carver is grateful for all the rich academic experiences and relationships that have shaped her path thus far, along with her dreams for the future.
“Before going to UVA, I still felt a little unsure about pursuing a Ph.D., since it’s a huge sacrifice of time and money. After that great experience, however, I am now confident it’s the right path for me and can’t imagine pursuing anything else,” Carver says.
