2021 Mollie Holman Medal

The Mollie Holman Medal was established in 1998 and is named after the late pioneering physiologist, Emeritus Professor Mollie Holman AO, in honour of her significant contributions to science and education.

This is the highest honour for Monash PhD candidates presented for each faculty’s best thesis of the year.

A pioneer in her field, Professor Holman’s memory is preserved in these medals struck in her honour. They are among the highest academic honours we bestow, and mark the recipients as researchers of the highest order. Each year, a maximum of 10 medals are awarded to doctoral students, normally one from each faculty, who have fulfilled their degree requirements and presented their faculty’s best thesis of the year. The Vice-Chancellor’s commendations for thesis excellence are also awarded annually to outstanding Doctoral and Research Master’s thesis excellence. A maximum of five Commendations are awarded each year.

Winner of the 2021 Mollie Holman Medal

Dr Lina Zhang
Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics

Thesis Title
Identification and Estimation of Causal Treatment Effects: Instrumental Variable Approaches

Supervisors
Professor Donald Poskitt, Associate Professor David Frazier and Professor Xueyan Zhao

Outline
This thesis studies some methodological issues relating to the assessment of the causal impact of some economic variables on a qualitative feature of the economy. It also sheds new light on policy evaluation studies in the presence of network interference. It identifies the mechanism through which the effects of a policy could propagate and affect many others’ socioeconomic behaviour, which is important to provide meaningful policy advice for effective policy targeting.

Read more about Lina Zhang.