SRU to host June 2-4 Pa. Economic Association Conference
May 3, 2016
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Who knows? Perhaps a future U.S. Federal Reserve chair will be at Slippery Rock University when it hosts the June 2-4 Pennsylvania Economic Association Conference for faculty and student research.
Or perhaps one of the presenters will become a health care, gender equality or transit system behemoth.
What is certain is the conference will give up to 10 SRU students majoring in economics or business the opportunity to network and share their original research. Up to 20 students from other institutions are expected to present as well, said Sunita Mondal, assistant professor in the School of Business.
More than 60 research papers by faculty on a variety of topics will be presented.
Mondal said students would present on a range of topics, including international equity markets, the effects of the Marcellus shale gas boom, economic development in Rwanda, vegetarianism and climate change, public housing and the effect of health care costs on nations' economic health.
Awards for Best Undergraduate Paper will be presented. First place will include a $200 prize, second place a $100 prize and third place a $50 prize. The first place winner will have his or her paper published in Pennsylvania Economic Review, a peer reviewed journal.
Papers will be reviewed by a panel of five judges representing educational and research institutions. Reviewers from outside a student's home institution will judge papers using the same scoring rubric.
"Presenting their original research at a professional conference provides students with the confidence to face professionals in the field," Mondal said. "Presentation prepares them to tackle questions from experts, which makes them think deeper on the research topic. This broadens their possibilities with future prospects of applying to graduate school or respective job fields."
Students will get to hear from professional economic leaders. Robert Grayboyes, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, will present "Fortress and Frontier: Health Care Innovation for a Digital World" at 12:45 p.m., June 3, in Room 315.
Grayboyes will explore the potential of making health care over the next 25 years as innovative as information technology was in the past 25 years.
In 2014, Grayboyes received the Reason Foundation's Bastiat Prize for Journalism. Previously, he was senior health care adviser for the National Federation of Independent Business, an economics professor at the University of Richmond and a regional economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
Lawrence Shao, dean of the College of Business, will offer the conference welcome. Jerry Chmielewski, interim dean for the College of Health, Environment and Science, will introduce Grayboyes.
Lisa Nelson, a community development adviser in the Community Development Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and Kyle Fee, regional community development adviser in the Community Development Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, will present "Opportunity Occupations" at 3:45 p.m., June 3, in Room 321 of the Smith Student Center.
SRU's School of Business and College of Business is sponsoring the conference. More than 80 people are expected to attend.
MEDIA CONTACT: Gordon Ovenshine | 724.738.4854 | gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu