June 16, 2026
Linda Blaser
Students present research at national economics conference
Conducting behavioral economics research as an undergraduate and presenting that study at a professional conference provided a peak moment in Marius Simon’s ’28 academic studies at Lake Forest College.
“It also inspired me to continue this type of research in a future master’s or PhD program,” the Davis Scholar from Germany said.
Simon, Eva Modestova ’26, and Rudaina Mustansir ’27 worked together on their study—“Diffusion of Responsibility and Economic Pressure on Marketing Age-Restricted Products to Minors”—in class with James S. Kemper Foundation Professor of Economics Amanda Felkey.
From Lake Forest to Las Vegas
The trio presented their findings at the Association of Private Enterprise Education (APEE) Undergraduate Research Competition in Las Vegas. APEE is an association of teachers and scholars from colleges and universities, public policy institutes, and industry with a common interest in studying and better understanding the system of private enterprise.
Participants in the APEE Undergraduate Research Program talk to professors and other attendees about their research while a jury composed of APEE members rates the presentations.
How did you get to present your research?
“We applied to the APEE conference in January with our proposed research questions and methodology. We then qualified to present our research in April at the conference to share our findings and receive feedback from renowned economists.”
What did you learn about yourself?
“Creating and presenting my own research at the Association of Private Enterprise Education Conference strengthened my interest in behavioral economics and made me more curious about the psychological factors that drive people’s economic decision-making.”
Where do you hope this will take you next?
“It inspired me to continue this type of research in a future master’s or PhD program.”