Machine Learning in Economics Summer Institute 2025 (MLESI25)

Announcing MLESI '25!

We are excited to welcome this year's cohort for the Machine Learning in Economics Summer Institute, which will be held in Chicago, August 7-13, 2025. Applications for the 2025 Institute can be found here.

Program Description:

Modeled after similar programs in behavioral economics, the Institute brings together leading researchers with advanced graduate students to build community and push forward cutting-edge research ideas. Our organizers this year are Alex Imas (Chicago Booth), Jens Ludwig (Chicago Harris), Sanjog Misra (Chicago Booth), Sendhil Mullainathan (MIT), Ashesh Rambachan (MIT), Lindsey Raymond (Microsoft Research) and Jann Spiess (Stanford GSB).

Goal of the program:

1. to introduce researchers to the new methods and data used in machine learning (e.g., supervised and unsupervised learning algorithms, machine vision, text analysis), and how they relate to longstanding questions around causal inference, experimental design, fairness and bias, and econometric theory; and 

2. to build intuitions for how these methods can open up new questions for economists in fields like macroeconomics, behavioral science, health, development, public, labor, or applied microeconomics generally.

Format:
MLESI 2025 will be held in-person on the University of Chicago campus. This year, the program for participating students will consist of three parts: the first part, held August 7–10, will consist of lectures, panel discussions, tutorials, office hours, and social activities. The second part, held August 11-12, will have students attend the two-day Machine Learning in Economics Summer Conference (MLESC) with talks on current research topics. The final day, August 13, will debrief and wrap up the program.   

Eligibility:

Participation in the full program will be by application, and limited to around 30 Ph.D. students and post-docs who have completed their Ph.D. program in 2023 or later. Candidates in economics and related disciplines (e.g., computer science, statistics, etc.) who have a strong interest and advanced training in formal economics are eligible. Participants are expected to attend the August 7–13 program full-time and in person.  

Applications can be submitted here. Application deadline on April 11, 2025.

Further details about the Machine Learning in Economics Summer Conference can be found on the MLESC website here. A call for papers will be circulated separately.

Please contact Lauren Doan if you have any questions.