Rebecca Jack, a Ph.D. student in economics, quickly made a name for herself with two high-profile publications in 2023. Her outstanding achievements earned her the CoB Ph.D. Student Research Award recognizing her significant contributions to the field. 

Jack’s first major publication, "Pandemic Schooling Mode and Student Test Scores: Evidence from U.S. School Districts," appeared in the American Economic Review: Insights, a journal known for its competitive acceptance rate.  

“This paper came out of my work with the COVID-19 School Data Hub and provided key insights into the long-term effects of the pandemic on education,” Jack explained. “School closures were a common response to the pandemic throughout the U.S., and we collected data from state and local education agencies about whether their schools were operating in-person, virtual or something in between (hybrid). With that data, we looked at student test scores and found that while test scores declined for all students, students who spent more time in virtual schooling had larger declines than students who had in-person school available.”  

Her second paper, "COVID-19, School Closures and Outcomes," published in the Journal of Economic Perspectives. Jack examined how unequal access to in-person schooling during the pandemic exacerbated existing educational disparities.  

“This paper was an opportunity to examine what we know so far about school closures during the pandemic and the impact on students,” Jack said. “One of the most notable pieces is that not all students had the same access to in-person schooling during the pandemic, and school closures potentially increased already existing disparities due to this unequal access. It will be important to watch and understand longer-run outcomes for students who experienced more virtual schooling.”

Her work led to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago inviting her to be an expert panelist for a session on The Ongoing Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Mental, Physical, and Educational Outcomes of American Children. 

“The Journal of Economic Perspective and the American Economic Review: Insights are some of the most prestigious journals in the social sciences. To publish work in these journals, and to have her expertise sought out by policymakers, is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to her talent as an economist,” said Brenden Timpe, assistant professor of economics. 

Jack, who will graduate in the spring of 2026, credits her success to the supportive environment at Nebraska.

“Everyone is willing to take time to discuss ideas or answer questions, which has made this journey so rewarding,” Jack said.