Oct
19
Prof. Jingyi Huang Wins Allan Nevins Prize in American Economic History
October 19, 2022 | Leave a Comment
We are pleased to announce that Professor Jingyi Huang has been awarded the Allan Nevins Prize in American Economic History.
This prestigious and competitive award is given annually by the Economic History Association on behalf of Columbia University Press for the best dissertation in U.S. or Canadian economic history completed during the previous year. As noted by a related announcement “…is a notable recognition of Huang’s work and puts her on the path of major contribution to the field for years to come.”
Oct
18
Economics UDRs hold Meet the Majors Event
October 18, 2022 | Leave a Comment
The yearly MEET THE MAJOR event, hosted by the Undergraduate Departmental Representatives (UDRs), provided students with the opportunity to learn more about the economics major. The event was useful for first years and sophomores who have not yet declared their major, and would like to better understand the requirements, expectations, and experiences of a Brandeis Economics student! Several speakers, both students and professors, gave the students advice, and reiterated the importance of the Economics major. The event was well attended and a great success.
Jun
29
Prof. Raphael Schoenle cited in The Economist
June 29, 2022 | Leave a Comment
Professor Raphael Schoenle ‘s work on inflation was recently cited in an Economist article titled “People’s inflation expectations are rising—and will be hard to bring down”:
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2022/06/19/peoples-inflation-expectations-are-rising-and-will-be-hard-to-bring-down
May
18
Apr
11
New, High-Frequency Measure of Inflation Expectations with the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and Morning Consult
April 11, 2022 | Leave a Comment
The following Cleveland Fed commentary contains more details about how the measure is constructed: Cleveland Fed Commentary
Professor Raphael Schoenle
Nov
23
IG Michael Horowitz ’84 and Bob Woodward talk truth, transparency, and lunchroom etiquette
November 23, 2021 | Leave a Comment
As part of the Brandeis Alumni Weekend in June 2021, Inspector General at the Department of Justice Michael Horowitz ’84 and eminent Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward took part in a Zoom forum entitled Transparency, Oversight, and Accountability in the Post-Watergate Era: What Does the Truth Accomplish?
Moderated by Professor Maura Jane Farrelly, American Studies, there was a lively debate about the importance of transparency and truth in both journalism and federal government. In answer to a question from Farrelly, asking if the media was at fault for repeating and perhaps therefore perpetuating deception from figures of authority, Woodward called the suppression of false information, which he stated was censorship, “absurd.” Horowitz concurred, saying that he and his team, rather than label witnesses as ‘liars,’ preferred to meticulously gather and present both the facts and any fiction during their investigations, then encourage the reader to discern the truth.
Economics graduate summa cum laude Horowitz joked that he can “clear the lunchroom” when he goes for a sandwich at work, but noted that the same people who avoid him often knock on his door when they need to confide in him as Inspector General.
The Fall 2021 issue of the Brandeis Magazine features a playful Q&A with Horowitz in which he also reminisces about his time as an undergraduate at Brandeis. He reveals how listening to the contrary views of fellow students in a respectful atmosphere, and from there taking part in thoughtful debate, are experiences he values even today.
Nov
23
Bobby Sager ’76 brings global philanthropy back home
November 23, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Bobby Sager, Economics ’76, successful Massachusetts businessman turned international philanthropist, recently paid for the restoration and re-installation of the Park Street Church bell in Boston. For over 60 years, the peal of the bell, heard on the Common and around Downtown Crossing, was from a recording. The bell had not been rung since 1960 because its infrastructure within the church was too weak to support it. When Mr. Sager learned that the sounds he heard from his Tremont Street home were actually produced by a sound system, he decided to pay for the 200-year-old piece of Boston heritage to be repaired and reinstated. “It will wake people up to what’s going on in their day,” he said. “It’s just a beautiful thing.”
Nov
23
Where do Covid vaccine prioritizations and community mitigation policies intersect?
November 23, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Professor Nikhil Agarwal ’08, currently at the MIT Department of Economics, explored in this April 2021 YouTube presentation when and who to vaccinate against Covid. He concentrated on how the economic pressure to lift mitigation measures was offset by the fear of creating a public health disaster if thoughtful targeting was not considered. Whilst the vaccination situation in the US is very different only a few months later, this is an interesting discussion which might have implications for the future.
Nov
23
Brandeis Alumna Shines Light on Electric Future
November 23, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Dr. Karen Palmer ’81 discusses the goal of decarbonizing electricity and how to make power distribution more equitable
On March 9 2021 Dr. Karen Palmer, Econ ’81, PhD, Senior Fellow and Director, Electric Power Program at Resources for the Future, was interviewed for Episode 119 of the Resources Radio podcast.
The focus was a recent report issued by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), The Future of Electric Power in the U.S., written by a committee which included Dr. Palmer. This report addresses different scenarios which might come about as technology, infrastructure, and business models of electric power meet environmental concerns in the future.
Nov
19
Prof. Habibi: Watching China’s strategic investment in the Levantine states
November 19, 2021 | Leave a Comment
Published November 9, 2021, Professor Nader Habibi‘s article China’s Economic and Strategic Relations with the Levant Region explores the increasing economic, technology, and infrastructure investments China has been making in the area since 2000.
Egypt, Israel, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and Syria, the countries Prof. Habibi concentrates on in his study, have all enjoyed substantial and mounting Sino investment in their economies over the past twenty years. He states in this Panorama feature that China is shifting her focus carefully, from nation to nation. Whilst Turkey has the largest economy, Egypt is receiving more of China’s overall financial attention because of its value “as a manufacturing and export center for access to European and African markets.” However, it seems that the Chinese government recognizes potential in each country individually at the same time as it sees the value in supporting the whole Levant region, as it tries to expand its global influence.