EUU PhD Graduate Istvan Boza Awarded Junior Prima Prize

Istvan Boza, who graduated with his PhD in 2022 from EUU’s Department of Economics and Business, has received the Junior Prima Award for his work on wage inequality. The recognition, which comes with a prize in the amount of 5,208 euros, is given to early career researchers who contribute significantly to the development of Hungarian science with outstanding scientific work, international results and educational activities.  

 

Boza’s work on wage inequality included comparative studies with a large team of international co-authors resulting in high-impact publications. The research used administrative data and built upon the findings in Boza’s PhD dissertation, which was advised by EUU Professor Andrea Weber. 

 

“This recognition is undoubtedly a tremendous honor. It also comes with a sense of responsibility. I see it as a challenge to continue working hard,” said Boza. “EUU has, without a doubt, provided me with the essential tools of my trade. The state-of-the-art education I received, particularly in econometrics and applied microeconomics, has prepared me to fare well in a globally competitive environment. The mindset fostered by the faculty significantly contributed to my success.”  

 

Boza highlighted EUU's support in enabling his participation in conferences and research group meetings. “These opportunities allowed me to actively collaborate on crucial, high-impact comparative studies, shaping my trajectory significantly, leading up to the Junior Prima Award as well,” he said. 

 

In a November 27 ceremony at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Boza, along with nine other awardees, received their awards from Anna Erdei, Deputy Secretary General of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; Ildiko Zátrok, Deputy CEO of the Hungarian Development Bank; and Levente Sipos-Tompa, Chairman and CEO of the Hungarian Development Bank. 

 

In his welcome speech, Sipos-Tompa, said: "MFB Hungarian Development Bank regards the Junior Prima award winners as a kind of community…We try to follow their careers and achievements and give them the publicity they need to communicate to those interested in science, because it is important for them, and for us, that their questions in the world of science do not go unanswered at the international level." 

 

The prize, now in its 17th year, is funded by the Hungarian Development Bank and the Prima Primissima Foundation. The selection of the awardees was decided by a professional jury based on nominations received from universities and research institutes in Hungary.