Boston College Economics Symposium: Exploring Insights on Sustainable Growth

Continental Breakfast

Welcoming Remarks by Christopher Baum, Chair, Boston College Department of Economic

"Monetary Policy and Innovation, Implications for Economic Growth Dynamics" by Yueran Ma, Associate Professor of Finance, Fama Faculty Fellow, University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Question and Answer Session by Brian Bethune, Professor of the Practice, Boston College Economics Department 

Morning Panel: The “Big Picture” in the U.S.

Jay Stewart, Senior Research Economist, Division of Productivity Research and Program Development, Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Christopher Foote, Senior Economist and Policy Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Professor of the Practice of Economics, Harvard University

Susanto Basu, Professor of Economics, Boston College and National Bureau of Economic Research

Question and Answer Session

The panel intends to review the post pandemic experience in productivity, particularly the pro-cyclical behavior of productivity, and assess these positive developments in the context of rapid supply and demand shifts, employment dynamics and emergent price pressures. It will also discuss the implications of major structural changes in the employment markets involving slower labor force growth, a leveling off of per capita educational attainment, accelerated retirements, work-from-home innovations, and higher occupational risk-complexity for personal contact services. The implications for future productivity will be explored. 

LUNCH

Fireside discussion With Business Practitioners: “Evolving operational challenges & prospects for accelerated adoption of new innovations – automation, AI large language models, clean energy: business & finance perspectives”

Moderator: Doug Banks, Executive Editor, Boston Business Journal

Caitlin Brumme, CEO, MassChallengeJohn Fish, Chairman and CEO, Suffolk Construction Adam Valkin, Managing Director, General Catalyst, Board Member, National Venture Capital Association

Kanlaya Barr, Director of Corporate Economics, John Deere Inc.

Eleanor Dillon, Principal Economist, Microsoft Corporation Colleen Gallahue, Vice President, Global Credit Finance, Fund Finance, State Street Corporation

Afternoon Panel: Looking further under “the economic hood” 

Moderator: Brian Bethune, Professor of the Practice, Boston College Economics

Cindy Cunningham, Research Economist, Division of Productivity Research and Program Development, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Chaos Before Order: Productivity Patterns in U.S. Manufacturing”

Jay Stewart, Senior Research Economist, Division of Productivity Research and Program Development, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Opening the Black Box: Task and Skill Mix and Productivity Dispersion”

Jake Blackwood, Assistant Professor of Economics, Amherst College, and National Bureau of Economic Research, "Allocating Misallocation: Decomposing Measures of Allocative Efficiency".

Question and Answer Session

At the business level, the panel will discuss different aspects of dispersion in productivity across establishments within manufacturing industries. What is the relationship between entry, dispersion, and industry productivity growth? How is productivity dispersion related to task-skill dispersion? How can occupation data be used to better understand productivity dispersion? 
What do we understand about allocative efficiency across establishments and within industries?

Advancing the Frontiers of Innovation: Energy & Materials

Moderator: Dr. Nasir Khilji, Senior Economist, U.S. Department of the Treasury, (Ret.)

Zia Haq, Senior Analyst, Department of Energy Bioenergy Technology Office, Biofuels

Alexis Grimaud, Assistant Professor, Boston College Department of Chemistry “Frontiers of Energy Storage”

Sam Wurzel, Technology-to-Market Advisor, Fusion Energy Programs, Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E), Department of Energy

This key panel will provide medium-term outlooks for clean energy and advanced storage materials, and discuss the potential for accelerated breakthroughs in light of scientific advances and/or aggressive climate change policies.   Current headwinds and tailwinds will be identified.

Plenary Question and Answer