2017 Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize

CONGRATULATIONS Dr. Danila Serra On Being Awarded the Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize

“This award is my external validation, and I am immensely grateful for it”
Dr. Danila Serra
Inaugural recipient of the Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize

The Chairman, Directors, and Officers of the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics take pleasure in announcing Dr. Danila Serra, Department of Economics, Southern Methodist University, as the inaugural recipient of the Vernon L. Smith Ascending Scholar Prize.

The Smith Prize is a “budding genius” award that may be used flexibly to advance social science in whatever manner a recipient chooses.

Named after Nobel Laureate Vernon L. Smith, and made possible through the generosity of the Rasmuson Foundation and other contributors, the Smith Prize, set this year at $50,000, seeks to inspire early-career scholars to emulate Dr. Smith’s joyous zeal for scientific discovery.

To many, Vernon L. Smith’s career epitomizes success as a social scientist. That career bespeaks commitment to exploring theoretical foundations in economics, social science, and science generally; achievement in the form of quantifiable impacts in transforming economics into an experimental and more empirical discipline; collegiality in funding, mentoring, and collaborating with fellow scholars; and curiosity in looking beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries in search of truth.

The Smith Prize hopes to build on this legacy and inspire recipients, early on in their careers, to set the loftiest possible goals for themselves as social-science theorists, practitioners, colleagues, mentors, and truth seekers.

Dr. Serra’s accomplishments have marked her as an ascending scholar, teacher, mentor and colleague of exceptional promise. The International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics heartily congratulates Dr. Serra and looks forward to following her career in the years to come.

Robert R. Gasaway
Chairman