Speaking of the Economy

Raj Chetty discusses his research on economic mobility and variations in how readily people can climb the income ladder, especially in rural communities. Chetty, an economics professor at Harvard University and director of Opportunity Insights, gave the keynote address at the Investing in Rural America Conference in September 2026.

Kyle DeMaria and Urvi Neelakantan talk about their recent research on people who work multiple jobs and what this segment of the labor market says about the overall economy.

Sarah Gunn describes an online tool developed by the Federal Reserve to help students explore their post-high school career and education options and choose the path that is best for them.

Andy Bauer and Renee Haltom share what they have learned through conversations with Fifth District businesses about consumer spending and how it has responded to cost increases and other economic headwinds.

John Haltiwanger discusses his work with the U.S. Census Bureau to improve the tracking of AI usage by workers and their employers. Haltiwanger, a professor of economics at the University of Maryland, shared this research during the August 2026 CORE Week held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Katarína Borovičková and Claudia Macaluso discuss their research on the long-term unemployed, including the factors like AI adoption that could be affecting the movement of people into and out of this employment status and the broader economic implications of these labor market flows.

Michael Newsome talks about what he has learned about apprenticeships from discussions with business and education leaders. As an illustration, Melissa Stowasser shares how Trident Technical College partnered with smaller employers to develop an apprenticeship program for the Charleston, S.C., region.

Erik Hurst discusses his research on the potential impacts of AI adoption on the labor market, in particular entry-level workers and their human capital development over time through the acquisition of new skills and knowledge.

Jay Langston discusses how rural communities in western Virginia have diversified the region from agriculture into pharmaceutical and other forms of manufacturing. Key ingredients of this economic progress include developing the local workforce, building relationships between local and state economic development organizations, and addressing quality-of-life issues. Langston is executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership.

Daniel Davis talks about the barriers that rural communities face in fully realizing their economic potential and how economic development professionals have addressed those barriers. He also shares insights on this topic from the speakers at an Investing in Rural America webinar in June 2026.