The Dorian Fisher Memorial Prize 2017
The IEA is delighted to announce this year’s winners in the essay competition for the Dorian Fisher memorial Prize. The winning entry for the top prize of £500 was from Will Barker of Felstead School, with an essay on the question “If Economics gives us a way of understanding the world better, then why is the record of economic forecasting so poor?”. The three runner up prizes went to Bernard Ko and Alexander Butcher, both of Winchester College, with essays on the question “Why did most economists who expressed an opinion think that the creation of the Euro was a bad idea and have their fears been proved correct?”, and Lucy Li Chenhui of Westminster School with an essay on the same topic as the winner.
Among the 19 essays that placed in the top 10% but just missed out on a prize were ones from Sam Graffham (Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe), Ayotunde Ajala (Colchester Royal Grammar School), Josh Tucker (Norton Hill School), Tamara Fox (Shrewsbury), Jacob Dean (Mill Hill County High School), and Theo Grundy (Birkenhead School). The prize for the school with the highest number of entries was very narrowly retained by Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet who edged out Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe by just three entries. The prize winners and those who placed in the top 10% will be invited with their parents to a prize giving lunch at the IEA on Thursday 28th September.
The IEA’s Head of Education, Dr Steve Davies, said “My warm congratulations to the winners and to those who placed in the top twenty places and indeed all who took part in what was a very competitive and high standard set of entries. The essays that addressed the question on the fallibility of economic forecasting were particularly thoughtful, and engaged with a wide range of difficult issues, while those addressing the question of the Euro and (most) economists’ view of it were generally insightful and focused. It was pleasing to see an increase in the number of those taking part and entries from schools that had not previously entered or had not done so for some time. I look forward to meeting the prize winners and others who have shown their interest in and commitment to clear economic thinking and I wish all of the entrants the very best for the future.