Departmental Research Seminar
Curious about the latest industry trends and cutting-edge research in economics? The Economics Seminar Series offers you a front-row seat to the knowledge and experience of industry leaders and experts. Held in both the Fall and the Spring semester, this is an opportunity to deepen your understanding of what’s shaping the field today, while also connecting with fellow students and inspiring professionals.
Join us in person on Thursdays from 3:00-4:30pm for these intriguing and relevant seminars. Interested in attending or have questions? Reach out to the department's Program Assistant, Emma Gaut, at ergaut@usfca.edu. We hope you take this opportunity to engage with, and learn from, the best in the field!
| DATE | SPEAKER | Position | Institution | Title & DEsciption | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sept. 5th, 2024 |
Ted Egan | Chief Economist | City & County of San Francisco |
Post-COVID San Francisco: Temporary Shock or Doom Loop? San Francisco faced two major challenges in 2020: a temporary decline in service industry jobs due to pandemic shutdowns, and a likely permanent shift to remote work that has reduced downtown economic activity. This talk examines four potential "doom loop" scenarios for the city, evaluating them against current evidence. It concludes with insights on the long-term impact of expanded remote work on San Francisco and the broader Bay Area. |
McLaren 251 |
| Sept. 19th, 2024 | Andrey Fradkin | Assistant Professor | Boston University, Questrom School of Business |
Vertical Integration and Consumer Choice: Evidence from a Field Experiment Many firms, from retailers to investment management companies, offer their own products alongside products sold by competitors. This form of vertical integration has been the target of regulation in digital markets based on concerns of harm to consumers. We study the effects of this practice on consumer choice in the context of Amazon.com. We run a field experiment using a custom browser extension that allows us to generate random variation in the set of products observable to consumers. The results are consistent with consumer preferences that prioritize low prices, high ratings, and fast delivery over other product characteristics, such as brand or seller reputation. |
Harney 136 |
| Oct. 10th, 2024 | Alexander Zentefis | Assistant Professor | Yale University, School of Management | TBD | Harney 136 |
| Oct. 24th, 2024 | Leila Bengali | Regional Policy Economist | Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco | TBD | McLaren 251 |
| Nov. 7th, 2024 | Travis Lybbert | Professor | University of California, Davis | TBD | McLaren 251 |
| Dec. 5th, 2024 | Kalyani Chaudhuri | PhD Candidate | University of California, Davis | TBD | Cowell 312 |