Several OSU Economics students were awarded the Steve and Nancy Buck Travel Award to attend the Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Conference in Hood River (May 2022) and the Western Economic Association International Conference in Portland (June 2022).
"At the Western Economic Association International and Northwest Development Workshop conferences, I made contacts with professors from across the country and had great conversations with some PhD students. I went to presentations involving economic policy regarding race & gender discrimination, education, along with domestic and international development. I learned a lot about how to present research along with giving me motivation to continue to pursue higher education so I can begin my own economic research. I am very grateful for the opportunity to attend these conferences, as they helped me gain experience in research that most undergraduates may not see until they begin grad school." -Michael Pasquella
"I think the most useful part of the experience was seeing how the more theoretical concepts I'm learning in the classroom are applied to real-world scenarios. Considering that I just finished my first year and believe I still have a lot to learn in the field, this was certainly motivating to see, and I think I have a better idea of the more specific branches of economics I'm interested in pursuing in the future." -Mohnish Judge
"As an online student, attending the Western Economic Association International helped me make some good connections. I met a professor who was able to give me some great insight into applying for jobs. That interaction got me motivated to start to search for internships. The most rewarding lecture I attended was on inequality, gender norms and housing policy. The papers presented gave me motivation about the potential of doing more research-based work after graduation. I spoke with an attendee who was getting her PhD and we shared a lot of common interests. It was enlightening to see how many different areas of economics are available. It also made me consider going on to get my masters." -Taylor Nieman