Smith College Economics Department

Black Lives Matter.
Black Women Matter.
Black Economist Matter.

What role can I play as a Smith Economics faculty member or as a Smith student?

Consider mentoring and/or donating to the Sadie T.M. Alexander Conference for Economics which addresses the pipeline and pathway for Black women in economics & related fields.

http://sadiecollective.org/donate

https://bit.ly/2TYC7LY

https://www.sadiecollective.org

Congratulations Class of 2020 and 2020J! We wish you the very best as you embark on your next adventure.

Students and faculty enjoyed their time together at this year's lunch hosted by the Economics Department. Students got the chance to ask about classes, study abroad, as well as research opportunities.

Thank you to all of the faculty members who took the time to participate in this event!

Thank you to those who have attended the research presentations this past week!

The next research presentation for the macroeconomics position in our department is on Friday, 02/07 in Seelye 201 from 12:15-1:15pm. Pizza will be served!

Hello everyone!

Welcome back for the Spring Semester of 2020! If you're not exactly back on campus, we can't wait to see you around next week.

The economics liaisons invite you to attend the research presentations of the four finalists for the macroeconomics position at our department. These presentations will take place during lunchtime in Seelye 201 on 01/27, 01/28, 02/03, and 02/07. Come and enjoy some economics with a slice of pizza!

Happy Birthday to Dr. Robert Buchele!

Dr. Buchele has served the College since 1977. To show their appreciation, students in his seminar on Economic Inequality threw him a surprise birthday party.

Dr. Buchele shares advice to current Smith students:
"Follow your passions in life and do not think that money is going to fix your problems"
-Robert Buchele Professor Emeritus of Economics

Join us tomorrow (Wednesday 10/23/19) at 12:10pm in Seelye 201 for the presentation of the majors in Economics and Quantitative Economics!

We'll talk about the benefits of the economic major and the ways in which economics can help us think about society's challenges.

You are encouraged to attend even if you have already declared an Economics major to learn more about the Spring course offerings.

Pizza and dessert will be served!

The Federal Reserve of Boston will be joining us on campus next Monday, October 7th! The visit will include two different sessions in Seelye Hall 212 from 12:10-2:30pm.

Session 1: Lunch talk with Dr. Luengo-Prado from 12:10-1:10pm
Session 2: Talk with Research Assistants from 1:30-2:30pm

Dr. Luengo-Prado will be briefly talking about some of the interesting research coming from the Fed. She will also give her perspective on challenges to the Fed and monetary policy in the current environment. Topics she may cover are leading indicators that the Fed watches closely, how they deal with uncertainty (like the trade war in particular), and the possible threat to the Fed’s independence.

During the RA session following her talk, Fed RAs will be discussing the research projects they have been part of, their day-to-day tasks, and tips and tricks they’ve learned on the job.

Come join us next Monday if you’re interested in learning more about the Fed!

This past Monday, we had the honor of listening and meeting Dr. Pickbourn from Hampshire College. She gave her talk on aid work in Africa, particularly within the health sector. Some of her insight comes from her own experience growing up in a developing country as well as professional experience with surveying those who have experienced aid in the context of Africa. Dr. Pickbourn also spent the afternoon with fellow Economic students talking about their future goals as well as her own journey to UMass Amherst for her Economics PhD Program.

Thank you to all who came and to Dr. Pickbourn for her time!

Hi everyone and welcome back!

To kick off the semester, we're holding a tea with our visiting speaker Lynda Pickbourn on Monday (9/16). The tea will be at 4:15 pm in Campus Center 102. (Tea and Snacks provided)

Lynda Odarkai Pickbourn is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Hampshire College, where she teaches courses on gender and economic development, African economic development and the history of economic thought. Her research interests lie at the intersection of economic development, feminist economics, and political economy, with a focus on Africa. For more details see the flyer below!

It is with great sadness we announce that one of our very own, Dr. Elizabeth Savoca, passed away Sunday, June 30th. Professor Savoca was an integral part of the Smith Economics Department since 1982.

Elaona Lemoto, Class of 2020, shares a memory of her time as a student of Dr. Savoca:

"I want to acknowledge a professor who pushed the boundaries of my mind and ignited one of my many passions. Dr. Elizabeth Savoca was more than my metrics professor. She was a brilliant Econometrician
and Researcher. She pushed us because she knew we were fully capable. I remember in office hours she told a story about her time at Cal. She was given the option to take a difficult theory course (that of a Statistics PhD) or take the statistics course for the Economics PhD. She decided to take the Statistical theory course instead. After the entry exam, the professor asked her to leave; that this course would be too difficult for her. Dr. Savoca did not listen. She buckled down and studied intensively for the entire semester. It was hard, but she got the A. Everything she shared, was to encourage us to keep going, and one of the reasons why I am so interested in this field; to answer questions rigorously and to think critically about what I am doing. Most importantly, she told us to work hard and know that we deserve it just as much as anyone else. To my *unofficial* mentor, you will be terribly missed!"

We hope everyone had a great semester! We wish you all have a restful summer break and look forward to seeing you back in the fall.

Happy (almost) Graduation to the seniors, good luck to all of you!! ☺️