For our research project, Emily and
I are analyzing the effects of the Conservation Reserve Program and Clean Water
Act Section 319 on the phosphorus levels in the watershed using an economic
approach. This summer I am excited to learn how economists approach research
and the tools they use to analyze data. Being in an economics major I have
taken many classes that focus on conceptual ideas, but this research experience
will teach me hands-on skills in analyzing data. Already Emily and I jumped
into data analysis using a software program called STATA. My mentor, Zach, has
been teaching us how to effectively use the program to organize and summarize
data and create graphs. We will soon dive deeper into more complex analysis to potentially
discover a relationship between the policies and water quality. As the summer
progresses I hope to continue to develop skills in this program and become very
fluent with the software code.
Throughout the summer I also hope
to engage with the other projects and follow along with the other teams’
research. It is really cool to hear how the water quality issue is being
addressed using various perspectives. Even though my research is computer-based,
I have the opportunity to join other teams on their adventures. This past week
I went canoeing on Tainter Lake with several of the other women to identify the
different types of lakefronts present. It was interesting to see natural fronts
with many diverse plants versus well-groomed yards leading right up to the
lake. From this, we can note which lakefronts are prone to polluting the lake
from run-off. I hope to continue to take advantage of these opportunities as
they come to enhance my research experience and learn more about the water
quality issue from multiple perspectives.
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| Sunset on Lake Menomin |
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