Virtual 96th Annual Conference

In spite of great progress with COVID-19 vaccines, given the limited supply of those vaccines in some places along with new variants of the virus circulating, we have made the tough decision to move the entire 96th Annual Conference program online.

Although the State of Hawai'i has guidelines in place that allow for safe tourism by individual visitors, it appears now that the restrictions on gatherings will remain in place beyond June thus necessitating our cancellaton of the in-person portion of the conference. The safety and health of our participants is top priority.

We will communicate individually with participants regarding the conversion to virtual, and will issue credits or refunds to those who wish to continue with the virtual program or those who wish to cancel their participation entirely.

By 2022 we should be in a better position to resume meeting in-person, so we hope you will plan to join us for WEAI's 100th birthday conference in Portland, Oregon, back to where the first meeting occurred in 1922 of 21 academics calling themselves the Pacific Coast Economic Association!

Please stay safe and healthy.

Present a Volunteer Paper | now closed...sorry!

Submission deadline extended through January 15, 2021, for papers to be placed in VIRTUAL sessions. Registration fees are now discounted 30% for virtual participation. If you submitted for the in-person conference you will be switched to a virtual session automatically. If you prefer to cancel your participation, let us know.

Abstracts will be blind reviewed by a screening committee member and decision emails will be sent in early February. All paper presenters will be expected to provide comments on the other papers in their session to ensure that everyone receives constructive feedback on their research. 

Step 1: Register to attend and pay paper submission fee.

Step 2: Submit an abstract. Link to submit is located on your user profile. Only registrants who've paid a conference paper submission fee may access the submission portal.

Information needed for abstract review committee:

• Paper presenter's name, professional affiliation, mailing address, phone and fax numbers, e-mail address, academic degrees held; same information for coauthors.

• Paper title and paper topic area (three appropriate codes from the JEL Classification System).

• Abstract of 350 words or less including a statement of the research or policy question and the contribution made by the paper; as well as method(s), model(s) and, if applicable, relevant data including time frame and geographical scope.

Payment of paper submission ($75 for WEAI members, $100 for non-members) and registration fees are required prior to submission of your abstract (see Registration tab for applicable fee). Hint: Join now and save -- plus you'll be entitled to a journal submission fee waiver for your conference paper if submitted to EI or CEP within six months after the conference. It's a win-win!

Only research at the graduate level and above will be considered for volunteer sessions. Alternatively, undergraduates are welcome to coordinate with an advisor to organize a session featuring undergrad research papers.

Your complete paper will not be submitted to WEAI, but will be circulated to your fellow session participants one month prior to the conference. Paper and slides can be shared via upload to the conference platform prior to the conference.

Discounts: WEAI Institutional Member affiliates are eligible for a 20% discount on submission and registration fees. For the code to take the discount at checkout, ask your designated representative or contact us at 1-714-965-8800 or [email protected].

Questions? Contact [email protected].
 

Discuss a Paper or Chair a Session | Deadline March 1, 2021

Discuss a paper and give others the benefits of your expertise. Discussants are needed in all topic areas. Chair a session and foster the exchange of ideas. If you are interested in serving as a discussant or chair, but are not presenting a volunteer paper, please email [email protected].

Organize a Session | Deadline February 15, 2021

Organize your own session and take charge of all the details! Sessions in all areas of economics are welcome. Paper submission fees are waived for all papers in organized sessions, however participants are required to register for the conference. WEAI members affiliated with a WEAI Institutional Member, and who organize a session, receive complimentary conference registration. 

Organized sessions must include papers from various institutions. No more than 50% of the papers may be from the same institution. Each participant may author (or co-author) no more than two papers in the session. Proposals for workshops or roundtables should also include individuals from multiple institutions. Sessions are subject to review by a screening committee. 

Please notify us of your intent to organize a session as soon as possible! Email [email protected].

Overall Responsibility

As the organizer, you have the following responsibilities:

• Maintain liaison between your participants and WEAI.
• Ensure that your session participants are well prepared and registered by May 1. 
• Make sure your session participants circulate completed papers by June 1.
• Keep the WEAI informed of changes to your session.

Typical Session Format

The session time allocation is one hour and 45 minutes. A typical session includes a chairperson, three to four papers, and discussants (paper presenters may serve as discussants on each others' papers). Organizers decide if discussants are assigned to specific papers or if comments will be part of the general group discussion. Other formats, such as panels or roundtables, may also be used. 

Information Needed

After receiving commitments from session participants, send the following information to WEAI:

• Session title.
• One JEL topic area code.
• Professional affiliations and e-mail addresses for all participants (including coauthors). Please indicate paper presenter with an asterisk (*).
• Paper titles (if applicable).

A fill-in session template is available, or if you have a format used for previous WEAI conferences, that is also acceptable as long as the information outlined above is included.

Please submit your session details early. Submit revised information with “track changes” turned on so that each revision is clearly marked. All session communication is done via email to [email protected].

Conference Format

The format is intended to promote active involvement by all attendees — most of the economists attending will be on the program. In addition to the keynote sessions, the program consists of small discussion groups meeting concurrently. Including program participants, session attendance may range from 6 to 60, depending on the time of day and the topic’s popularity, etc. However, the most fruitful discussions often occur among small groups of interested individuals. Your session can benefit by inviting experts besides those on the program to attend.

Registration Fees

All attendees are asked to pay the conference registration fee. Please inform prospective participants that they are responsible for their own expenses. Organized session participants may register at the member rate even if they are nonmembers, but are cordially invited to join the Association.

WEAI members receive complimentary conference registration if (i) they are employed by a current Institutional Member, (ii) they organize a session in which at least three participants pay the usual registration fee, and (iii) everyone in the session registers by the deadline.

Waiver of Journal Manuscript Submission Fees

WEAI members can submit their conference papers to either Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy without paying the usual manuscript submission fee provided the manuscripts reach the editors within six months after the conference.

Dates to Remember

• February 15: Session information is due to WEAI.
• May 1: Deadline for program participants to register.
• May 15: Deadline to take advantage of early registration discount.
• June 1: Verify that all session participants have received copies of all papers.

Conference Registration

Fees below reflect virtual conference discount of 30% and apply to everyone participating in the conference whether on the program or not (after May 15, rates increase $45):

• US$185 $129.50 for members
• US$265 $185.50 for non-members
• US$95 $66.50 for student members
• US$135 $94.50 for student non-members

Discounts

• WEAI Institutional Member affiliates are eligible for a 20% discount on registration fees. For the code to take the discount at checkout, contact your designated representative or contact WEAI at [email protected].
• Early registration closes on May 15, after which fees increase $45. 

Benefits

• Access to all general and concurrent sessions.
• Waiver of manuscript submission fees for current WEAI members submitting their conference paper to Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy by December 31, 2021.

Policies

• Program participants must register by May 1 to remain on the conference program. 

Cancellation & Refund Policies

• Cancellations must be received in writing. Please e-mail [email protected].

• Program participants must advise the participants in their session(s) of their cancellation.

• Refunds for program participants:
  Volunteer abstract submission fees are non-refundable upon accept/reject decision. If a volunteer paper abstract is not accepted for the program, the full registration fee is refundable. For cancellation by a participant on or before March 1, fifty percent (50%) of registration fee is refundable. After March 1, the registration fee is non-refundable due to the high administrative cost of rearranging the affected sessions and participants.

• Refunds for all others, not on the program: 
  On or before June 1, the full registration fee is refundable, less $25 handling fee. After June 1, the registration fee is non-refundable.

• Membership dues are non-refundable.

• Refunds will be processed after the conference and are subject to a $25 handling fee.
   

Important Dates

March 1: Volunteer program participants' cancellation deadline with 50% refund.
May 1: Registration deadline for program participants.
May 15: $45 early registration discount ends.
June 1: Paper presenters circulate papers to all session participants.
June 1: Cancellation and refund deadline (for all except volunteer program participants, see March 1 above).
 

Times listed below are Pacific Daylight Time. Time periods will be added earlier and later as needed to accommodate sessions and participants around the world. These will be the primary time periods used for scheduling:

Sunday, June 27

6:00 am-7:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
8:00 am-9:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:00 am-11:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
12:00 pm-1:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
2:00 pm-3:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:00 pm-5:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
6:00 pm-7:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Monday, June 28

6:00 am-7:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
8:00 am-9:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:00 am-11:45 am -- 2020 Presidential Address by John Shoven "Is Automatic Enrollment Consistent with a Life Cycle Model?"
12:00 pm-1:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
2:00 pm-3:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:00 pm-5:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
6:00 pm-7:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Tuesday, June 29

6:00 am-7:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
8:00 am-9:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:00 am-11:45 am -- Keynote Address by Emi Nakamura "The Slope of the Phillips Curve: Evidence from U.S. States"
12:00 pm-1:45 pm -- 2021 Presidential Address by Alan Auerbach "Tax Policy with Low Interest Rates"
2:00 pm-3:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:00 pm-5:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
6:00 pm-7:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Wednesday, June 30

6:00 am-7:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
8:00 am-9:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:00 am-11:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
12:00 pm-1:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
2:00 pm-3:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:00 pm-5:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
6:00 pm-7:45 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Thursday, July 1

6:00 am-7:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
8:00 am-9:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:00 am-11:45 am -- Concurrent Sessions

Conference Close