Department of Economics

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS NEW RESEARCH INSTITUTE - GCER

We are pleased to announce the creation of GCER, the Georgetown Center for Economic Research. GCER is the newly established research institute housed within the Department of Economics and setup to foster an environment of open and rigorous scientific inquiry into current economic policy issues and problems. Go to GCER to read more about GCER's mission and activities.

2010-2011 RAZIN PRIZE and ECONOMIC POLICY LECTURE
Monday, April 4, 2011, 3:30 PM, ICC Auditorium

Prize Winner:
Jose-Daniel REYES, Ph.D. candidate

Keynote Speaker:
Prof. Thomas F. COOLEY
Paganelli-Bull Professor of Economics
New York University Stern School of Business

JOB MARKET CANDIDATES 2010-2011

MASTERS PROGRAM

Update on Masters in Applied Economics:

Due to the multiple step nature of the approval process for new programs at Georgetown University there has been a slight delay in obtaining final approval from the University's Board of Directors. Nevertheless it is expected that the program will begin the Fall of 2011 and we will start accepting applications shortly. In the meantime prospective applicants should consult the Department's web page  for the Fall's potential courses.

The objective of the program will be to provide students with a solid understanding of the fundamental tools required to undertake rigorous analyses of economic issues and policies. The program will be structured so that a full-time student with the necessary preparatory background will be able to complete the course of study in one calendar year by taking the appropriate courses during the academic year and the subsequent summer. The program will also accommodate part-time students who will be able to satisfy the degree requirements in as little as two years.

Our program will begin with courses on microeconomics and macroeconomics, as well as statistical and data analysis. Once equipped with the various tools of economic and data analysis, the students will study their application to a range of current day economic problems. This material will be covered in a large range of elective courses focusing on specialized areas of economics such as Health Economics, Labor Economics, Program Evaluation, Industrial Organization, International Economics, Development Economics and Macro economic policy. A distinguishing feature of the program will be the involvement of both Georgetown Economics Department faculty and Washington DC practitioners. The required courses will be taught by Georgetown faculty members and the elective courses will be taught by qualified individuals working in their areas of specialization. For further information please contact Kerstin Gobel (kg238@georgetown.edu or 202-687-6172).

TEACHING AWARD WINNER PENS OP-ED:   

Marius Schwartz, winner of the Economics Department's 2010 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award, has co-authored a New York Times Op-Ed piece on "Net Neutrality." Marius's students write that they "learn more in one day of his classes than in the rest of my classes combined." Congratulations Marius and thanks for your efforts on behalf of Georgetown's undergraduate economics students.

WELCOME NEW FACULTY:

Guido Kuersteiner, an econometrician, joins Georgetown after visiting us during 2009-2010. He has taught at MIT, Boston University, and UC Davis. Guido's research examines efficient estimation of time series models, dynamic panel models, finite sample properties of estimators for simultaneous equations models, and Bootstrap and Jackknife based bias correction for maximum likelihood estimators. His recent paper "Constructing Optimal Instruments by First Stage Prediction Averaging" is forthcoming in Econometrica.

Dan Cao started at Georgetown in the Fall of 2010. His research examines the role of risk-taking, incorrect beliefs about future economic conditions, and collateralized debts (such as mortgage backed securities) in driving up financial market volatility.