Durham Student Wins UK Data Service Dissertation Award

Lex Irish (Economics with Management) won the UK Data Service Dissertation Award! Each year, the award is given to three students whose dissertation has made use of the UK Data Service.

Lex's dissertation examined the impact of cancer diagnosis on income levels in the UK using longitudinal microdata from Understanding Society (UKHLS).

The analysis included varied modelling approaches to examine the relationship between cancer diagnosis and income, both overall and for financially vulnerable groups.

Lex’s results indicated that cancer diagnoses are associated with reductions in average income, with steeper falls among those on low incomes or with lower educational attainment. The dissertation highlights the need for targeted financial protections for vulnerable groups. His dissertation was supervised by Andis Sofianos.

This is the third time in a row that a Durham student wins the award. In 2024, James Marris won with his dissertation on "The effect of Carbon Pricing on Fuel Poverty in the UK", whereas in 2023, Finlay Yates won with his dissertation on "The impact of the minimum wage on employment: An assessment of the effect of employer concentration".