Lehigh University Professor Embarks on Sabbatical to Study Impact of Peers and Teachers on Student Performance

Ahmed Rahman, an associate professor of economics at Lehigh University's College of Business, will spend the next academic year on sabbatical, focusing on his research interests in the effects of peers and teachers on college student performance. Rahman will delve into the digitization and quantification of the lives of tens of thousands of naval officers across three centuries, with the goal of isolating the X factors that shape human capital decisions. This in-depth study will provide valuable insights into the causal impact of these factors on student outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• Ahmed Rahman, a Lehigh University professor, will spend a year on sabbatical studying the impact of peers and teachers on college student performance.
• The study will focus on the digitization and quantification of the lives of tens of thousands of naval officers across three centuries.
• The research aims to isolate the X factors that shape human capital decisions, such as the effects of peers and teachers, and understand their causal impact on student outcomes.
• The study will draw on data from the United States Naval Academy, census records, and other sources to examine the influence of peers and teachers on student performance.
• The research will also employ machine learning and natural language processing techniques to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data.
• The ultimate goal of the study is to produce peer-reviewed papers and a book on the topic, as well as develop new curricula and teaching methods to help students understand the importance of human capital accumulation.
• The research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the X factors that influence human capital decisions and provide valuable insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers.

Statistics:

• The study will examine the lives of tens of thousands of naval officers across three centuries.
• The research will draw on data from the United States Naval Academy, which dates back to 1845.
• Lehrman's team has been working on this project since 2006.
• The study will employ machine learning and natural language processing techniques to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data.
• The research aims to produce at least two peer-reviewed papers and a book on the topic of X factors and human capital accumulation.

Sources:

• Lehigh University's College of Business
• Ahmed Rahman's research
• The Institute of Labor Economics
• United States Naval Academy
• United States Census Records