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Past Conference

Conference
Diverse Economics Conference
Conference
Tue., Nov. 16, 2021 - Thu., Nov. 18, 2021

Diverse Economics Conference

People. Perspectives. Careers. Diversity in economics is critical to ensuring that the right questions are being asked, yet less than 25 percent of economists are people of color, and no more than 30 percent of career economists are women. For those studying economics (or related field) in college, the third annual DivEc conference is an opportunity to join a meaningful conversation about the diversity of people, perspectives and careers in the economics field. 

During the three-day virtual DivEc conference, you will:

  • Learn about the range of career opportunities you have after graduation
  • Hear how personal experiences and perspectives have shaped economists’ careers 
  • Meet diverse economists who have taken different career paths
  • Ask questions directly to experts in the field
  • Network with fellow economics (or related field) students
  • Learn about jobs at the Richmond Fed for economics majors
  • Join in a continuing dialogue about diversity in economics on social media with the hashtag #DivEc21

The Richmond Fed is proud to host this event in partnership with Undergraduate Women in Economics and the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond. Registration is free but required. The deadline to register is Friday, November 12. Registered participants will get an email with instructions on how to join the session.

Partners


Richmond Fed
Undergraduate Women in Economics
Robins School of Business

Who Should Attend


Undergraduate college students

Speakers


Dr. Peter Blair
Harvard University, Assistant Professor of Education
headshot of John O'Trakoun
Senior Policy Economist
Eva de Francesco
Economist, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Paige Shevlin
Director of Policy and National Initiatives, Markle Foundation
headshot of Tatyana Avilova
Ph.D. Candidate in Economics, Columbia University
Mehdi Beyhaghi
Financial Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
Larissa Campuzano
Larissa Campuzano
Principal Researcher, Mathematica
Management Committee member Lisa White
Executive Vice President, Supervision, Regulation and Credit
Allison Jakubek
Supervisory Compliance Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Arushi Saksena
Sr. Analyst, Compass Lexecon
Robert Sharp
Data Analyst, UBER
headshot of Arantxa Jarque
Senior Policy Economist
headshot of Laura Ullrich
Director, Community College Initiative

Agenda


  • Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021
    05:00 pm

    Welcome
    Kartik Athreya, Executive Vice President
    Director of Research
    Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    05:10 pm

    Keynote Speaker
    Dr. Peter Q. Blair, Assistant Professor
    Harvard Graduate School of Education

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    05:50 pm

    Diverse Careers in Economics - Panel
    Hear from seasoned professionals about their career journey and how the field of economics has evolved over time.

    Panelists
    John O’Trakoun, Senior Policy Economist FRBR
    Eva de Francisco, Economist BEA
    Paige Shevlin, Director of Policy, Markle Foundation

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    06:30 pm

    Economics in Practice Breakout Sessions
    Dig deeper into how economics can be used to answer complex questions and help solve important problems.

    Presenters
    Urvi Neelakantan, Senior Policy Economist, Richmond Research
    Mehdi Beyhaghi, Financial Economist, Richmond Supervision and Regulation 
    Larissa Campuzano, Principal Researcher, Mathematica

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

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    07:20 pm

    Closing Remarks and Next Steps

  • Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021
    05:00 pm

    Welcome
    Lisa White, Executive Vice President
    Director of Supervision, Regulation and Credit
    Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    05:10 pm

    Recent Graduates – Where Are They Now? -Panel
    Hear from diverse early career professionals on what it’s like to start a career in economics and get their practical advice for the journey.

    Panelists
    Allison Jakubek, Supervisory Compliance Analyst, Kansas City Fed - 
    Robert Sharp, Data Analyst, UBER
    Arushi Saksena, Sr. Analyst, Compass Lexecon

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

    05:50 pm

    The Path of an Economist -Topics, Tools and Careers at the Fed

    Get a glimpse of the day-to-day work of research economists and how they support the mission of the Federal Reserve.  Learn how the Research Associate and summer internship programs at the Richmond Fed can prepare you for this work.

    Arantxa Jarque, Sr. Policy Economist and Research Assistant Program Manager

     

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    06:30 pm

    The Next Step – Getting Started With My Career Breakout sessions
    Engage in this session to network with professionals and other conference attendees.  You can ask questions and hear their advice on topics that might be weighing on your mind. 

    Session 1 – Working as a Research Assistant
    Session 2 – Getting a Master’s Degree
    Session 3 – Entering a Ph.D. Program
    Session 4 – Starting your career journey

    07:20 pm

    Closing Remarks and Next Steps

     

    Video is temporarily unavailable.

  • Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021
    10:00 am

    The Future of the Workforce
    Laura Ullrich, Regional Economist
    Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

    A discussion on how the labor market has changed during the pandemic and what changes might stick around in the future. She’ll explore topics such as labor shortages and wages, demographic changes to labor force participation rates, and how impacts from the pandemic vary by industry.

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