The Department of Economics at Western Michigan University hosts speakers and other events during the fall and spring semesters.
2017-18 Werner Sichel Lecture Series
Noon to 1:15 p.m. in 2028 Brown Hall
2017-18 Sichel Lecture Series brochure
Sept. 13, 2017
"The Political Economy of Retirement Time Inequality in the Economic Cooperation and Organization Development (OECD)" presented by Professor Teresa Ghilarducci, Chair in Economic Policy Analysis, The New School.
Sept. 27, 2017
"The Fall and Rise of Income Equality in the United States" presented by Professor Charles Ballard, Professor of Economics, Michigan State University.
Oct. 25, 2017
"Income Inequality, Progressive Taxation and Tax Expenditures" presented by Professor James Hines Jr., Professor of Economics and Law, University of Michigan.
Jan. 17, 2018
“America's Unequal Playing Field: The Gaps Between Poor and Rich Children's Resources” presented by Professor Mary Corcoran, Professor of Public Policy, Political Science and Women's Studies, University of Michigan.
Feb. 14, 2018
“Why has Income Inequality Increased While Education Inequality Has Decreased in Many Developing Countries” presented by Professor David Lam, Professor of Economics and Director of the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.
Mar. 28, 2018
“Institutions, Structures and Policy Paradigms in Sub-Saharan Africa: Toward Understanding Inequality” presented by Professor Howard Stein, Professor in the Department of Afro-American and African Studies and Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, University of Michigan.
See the series history for past speakers and topics.
2017 Research seminar
Fridays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in 2212 Dunbar Hall
Seminar Coordinator: Wei-Chiao Huang
Sept. 22
"Refugee Admissions and Public Safety: Are Refugee Settlement Areas More Prone to Crime?" presented by Dr. Susan Pozo, Department of Economics.
Oct. 6
"Illiquidity Contagion and the Pricing of Commonality Risk" presented by Nardos M Beyene, Department of Economics.
Oct. 13
"Policy Uncertainty and U.S. FDI Flows" presented by Chikezie Kenneth Okoli, Department of Economics.
Oct. 20
"A Markov Regime-Switching Model with Time-varying Transition Probabilities for Identifying Asset Price Bubbles" presented by Frank Ofori-Acheampong, Department of Economics.
Nov. 3
"The Effect of Maternal Employment on Child Obesity: Does Child Care Matter?" presented by Bezawit T. Agiro, Department of Economics.
Nov. 10
"Youth Unemployment and Terrorism: Empirical Findings and Policy Implication" presented by Soji Adelaja, Distinguished Professor in Land Policy, Michigan State University.
Nov. 17
"Bilateral U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate Behavior During and in the Aftermath of the Great Recession" presented by Kemal Burak Bekircan, Department of Economics.