Conference: 2016 Summer Institute in Economic Geography

University Of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington KY

Investigators

Abstract

The Summer Institute in Economic Geography will bring together 40 advanced graduate students and early career scholars from around the world with a small group of internationally renowned faculty to advance scholarship, understanding and knowledge creation in the field of economic geography. The intensive nature of the meeting will enable the participants to assess state-of-the-art developments in the field, to identify major questions and challenges, and to collectively shape the future research agenda for the next generation of scholars and educators. This project takes place at a time of widespread uncertainty about the current state and future prospects of the global economy and the place of the United States within it. In bringing together an extended network of junior scholars and internationally renowned faculty the depth and rigor of the discussions will further the development of collaborative research designed to better understand the dynamics of the global economy, inform policy making in local, national and international contexts and inform our knowledge and understanding of the volatility that is the hallmark of the contemporary global economy. The event involves a unique blend of professional development and scholarly inquiry, with an orientation to breaking issues in the field. Topics to be addressed include: assessments of the implications of financial innovation and volatility; the evolving relationship between global economic growth and the environment; making academic work relevant to policy and policy-making; research ethics, funding strategies, and new developments in methodological practice; planning for research-intensive careers; strategies for publication and dissemination; and the effective linkage of academic research to teaching, service, and education. The event will provide training and professional preparation for a distinguished, international group of early-career scholars and educators, providing foundations for the deepening of professional networks and for new collaborations in research and teaching. At a time of significant challenges in the economic policymaking environment and the continued intensification of international competition, the Summer Institute in Economic Geography is focused on building the shared and individual capacities of a new generation of researchers, who experience shows will themselves become leaders in the field over the coming decade.