97th Annual Conference

We all love Portland and the funky vibe that keeps it weird -- not to mention that it's the actual birthplace of WEAI with the 1922 inaugural meeting of the Pacific Association of Collegiate Schools of Business and Departments of Economics! So we are excited to be returning to the city where it all started!

No other destination offers Portland’s mix of natural beauty, creative culture and delicious cuisine. Get outdoors in an urban forest or the nearby Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood or Oregon Coast. Taste the local bounty at food carts, restaurants, farmers’ markets, microbreweries, wineries and coffee roasters. Connect with diverse communities and discover a makers’ scene that invites you to explore your creative side. Shop — tax-free — from independent shops in neighborhoods all around the city and end every night with live music. Find yourself here, and plan to come early or stay late to enjoy all that Portland has to offer. 

Portland is a great place for foodies but has seen some setbacks during the pandemic. In-door dining is back, mask mandates ended in mid-March. Check out https://pdx.eater.com/ for the most up-to-date on the local food scene. When possible, WEAI highly recommends you make dinner reservations before you go. 

If you'll be in town the evening of July 2, plan to join us for a private tour and reception at the famous Pittock Mansion overlooking the city with panoramic views of Portland, the Willamette River, and the distant Cascade Mountains. More info to come shortly!

Safety is our first priority when convening a WEAI conference. Our expectation is that all participants attending the conference in-person will be vaccinated. If you are not vaccinated, we welcome your participation on the virtual program. As of March 12, the Oregon statewide mask mandate has been lifted. However, masks are still required in health care settings and on public transportation, such as buses, trains and in airports and on airplanes. Some businesses may continue to require masks and/or proof of vaccination or negative COVID test. Check with individual businesses before visiting and carry a mask with you just in case. 

Portland FAQs

• Oregon Health Authority website
• What's open in Portland
• Downtown Portland map
• Homelessness in Portland
• Safety in Portland

Registration 

• US$185 for members (increases to $230 after May 15, 2022)
• US$265 for non-members (increases to $310 after May 15, 2022)
• US$95 for student members (increases to $140 after May 15, 2022)
• US$130 for student non-members (increases to $175 after May 15, 2022)
• US$50 for non-economist guests over 18 years of age

Pre-registration closes June 15. On-site registration for the in-person conference will open June 29 at 1:00pm at the Hilton Portland Downtown.

Rates are the same whether participating in in-person or virtual sessions.

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

Benefits: 1) Conference program. 2) Admittance to all general and concurrent sessions; coffee breaks; and Welcome Reception. 3) Waiver of manuscript submission fees for current WEAI members submitting their conference paper to Economic Inquiry or Contemporary Economic Policy by December 31, 2022.

Policies: Program participants must register to remain on the conference program. Everyone over the age of 18 must register, including spouses and adult guests. Badges are required at all conference events, including sessions, coffee breaks, receptions, and special activities. 

Special Activities

Welcome Reception | Wednesday, June 29, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Take time to relax, renew old acquaintances, and make new friends at the WEAI Welcome Reception. There will be a cash bar.

Presidential Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting | Friday, July 1, 12:15 to 2:15 p.m.
Features an address by WEAI President Christina Romer, University of California, Berkeley.
Seating will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 200 arrivals. WEAI badges required for entry. Registered, badge-wearing guests are welcome to attend the luncheon as well. Vegetarian meals are available upon request.

Private Tour and Reception at the Pittock Mansion | Saturday, July 2, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Plan to join us for an exclusive evening at the famous Pittock Mansion where you will enjoy panoramic views of Portland, the Willamette River, and the distant Cascade Mountains. Built in 1914, Pittock Mansion tells the story of Portland’s transformation from pioneer town to modern, industrialized city through the history and legacy of one its most influential families. Tickets are $50 per person and include roundtrip bus transport, light hors d'oeuvres and dessert, and one drink ticket. If you've already registered, login and click on your Purchases tab, click Details on your registration purchase, click Add Guest/Session+ (on the right side bar under Order Details) and continue through with your ticket purchase. 

General Ticket Information

• Children (of all ages) must have a ticket for all special activities.
• Any special activity ticket(s) will be included in the registration packet you will receive on-site.
• Space is limited for special activities.
• Please purchase or reserve all special activity tickets by June 1.
• Cancellations for special activities must be made in writing by June 1 to receive a refund. We are unable to give refunds for late cancellations.

Hilton Portland Downtown & The Duniway

921 SW Sixth Avenue, Portland, OR 97204 USA
Tel: 1-503-226-1611 | Fax: 1-503-220-2565

Online Reservations

Phone Reservations: 1-800-HILTONS (reference group code WEA)

Conference Group Rate:

• $199 per night single or double (Hilton Portland Downtown) and $229 per night single or double (The Duniway). First night's deposit will be charged at the time of booking.
• Taxes and fees are currently 16% per room per night (subject to change without notice).
• Group rates apply June 27 through July 4, 2022, based on availability in contracted block.

Cancellation Policy:

• To avoid a one night's room and tax penalty, reservations must be cancelled at least 72 hours before scheduled check-in.

General Information:

• If making a reservation by phone, be sure to identify yourself as part of the WEAI conference to receive the reduced group rates.
• Reservations must be made directly with the Hilton online or by phone.
• Make your hotel reservations by June 3. The group rate will be available until June 3 or until the WEAI room block is full, whichever comes first. The conference room rates are available to registered participants for a limited time only.
• Check-in is 4:00 p.m. Check-out is 12:00 n.

The program is now available!

Visit the conference platform to browse the sessions and start planning your agenda. We will be updating the program continuously so check back often.

Session Instructions for Program Participants

Please read in its entirety the Session Instructions and Information for Program Participants. 

Presenters mark your calendars to upload your complete papers by June 1 to give your fellow session participants adequate time to prepare a fruitful discussion of your research. Login to the conference platform, visit MY ACCOUNT > ALL where you can access your submission(s) in round "Accepted Papers for Program Placement" and upload your complete paper and slides. 

Session time allocations (based on four papers): 105 minutes total. 15 minutes per paper presentation plus 5 minutes for the paper’s primary discussant, then time for all other participants’ discussion. The session chair may alter time allocations if appropriate.

Email addresses for participants are not posted on the online program for privacy reasons. Session organizers will facilitate the discussion amongst their participants. WEAI will coordinate communications for volunteer session participants in mid-May.

Additional information will be provided for hybrid session participants in the weeks leading up to the conference.

Paper Presenters in Organized Sessions

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRESENTERS | REGISTER TODAY | SUBMIT TODAY 
If your paper is not appearing on the program as expected, chances are good that either your abstract or registration has not been completed. New this year, paper abstracts in organized sessions need to be submitted by presenters through the conference portal, and will only be available for placement on the program after the presenter is registered for the conference. If your records indicate both steps have been completed but your paper is not appearing as expected, please let us know.

Dates to Remember

• April 1: Deadline for program participants to register and submit abstracts in order to be included in first program draft (view instructions).  
• May 15: Deadline to take advantage of early registration discount.
• May 15: Last chance for program changes to be included in printed program.
• June 1: Complete papers due for upload by presenters.

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.

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 April 15, fifty percent (50%) of registration fee is refundable. After April 15, 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.
   

Audio-Visual Equipment

• LCD projectors and screens will be provided in each meeting room.
• LAPTOP COMPUTERS WILL NOT BE PROVIDED (UNLESS SESSION IS DESIGNATED AS HYBRID), so coordinate with your fellow session participants if you need one available.
• Mac users be sure to bring your Mini Display Port to HDMI and/or VGA adapter for connectivity to the projector.
• There will be VGA and HDMI connections and there will be adapters available. 
• If you have a newer computer we strongly encourage you to bring your own adapters as there are a limited amount of USB-C and thunderbolt adapters on-site.
• If other equipment is required please call 714-965-8800 for prices and availability. Additional equipment is at your own expense.
   

Important Dates

April 1: Deadline for program participants to register and submit to appear in first program draft.
April 15: Program participants' cancellation deadline with 50% refund.
May 15: $45 early registration discount ends.
May 15: Final program changes due in order to appear in printed program.
May 31: Last day to make room reservations at the conference rate, on a space available basis.
June 1: Deadline to purchase/reserve special activity tickets.
June 1: Paper presenters post/circulate papers to all session participants.
June 1: Cancellation and refund deadline (for attendees NOT participating on the program, see April 15 above).
June 15: Pre-registration closes. Only on-site registration available for in-person participants beginning June 29.
 

Travel Visas

• Requirements vary depending on your country of citizenship, so please read carefully and apply for your visa allowing ample lead time for processing. 
• Review the latest visa information from the U.S. Department of State.
• To request a letter of invitation after you've completed your conference registration, email [email protected].
   

Conference Schedule

Wednesday, June 29

1:30–8:00 pm  On-site Registration
2:30–4:15 pm  Concurrent Sessions
4:30–6:15 pm  Concurrent Sessions
6:30–8:00 pm  Welcome Reception

Thursday, June 30

7:30 am–6:30 pm -- On-site Registration 
8:15–10:00 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:15 am–12:00 n -- Concurrent Sessions
12:30–2:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
2:30–4:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:30–6:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Friday, July 1

7:30 am–6:30 pm -- On-site Registration 
8:15–10:00 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:15 am–12:00 n -- Keynote Address by John List, University of Chicago
12:15–2:15 pm -- Presidential Luncheon and Annual Business Meeting, Christina Romer, University of California, Berkeley
2:30–4:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
4:30–6:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions

Saturday, July 2

7:30 am–4:30 pm -- On-site Registration 
8:15–10:00 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:15 am–12:00 n -- Concurrent Sessions
12:30–2:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
2:30–4:15 pm -- Concurrent Sessions
5:30–8:00 pm -- Pittock Mansion tour and reception

Sunday, July 3

7:30 am–12:00 n -- On-site Registration 
8:15–10:00 am -- Concurrent Sessions
10:15 am–12:00 n -- Concurrent Sessions

Conference Close

Designed to help students prepare for the highly-competitive job market, this program offers selected Ph.D. candidates hands-on experience in job-market paper presentation skills and interview techniques. Since 2009 the workshop has been held in conjunction with WEAI’s Annual Conference, which in 2022 will be June 29–July 3, at the Hilton Portland Downtown in Oregon. 

2022 GSW Info & Schedule of Events

Selected Students and Workshop Groups

Group #1 - Health and Education
Advisor: Jane Ruseski, West Virginia University 

• Elise Marifian, University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Economics
  Selling College: The Effects of Advertising on Enrollment at Less-Selective Colleges
• James Flynn, University of Colorado Boulder - Department of Economics
  Can Expanding Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives Reduce Adverse Infant Health Outcomes?
• Opinder Kaur, University of California, Riverside - Department of Economics 
  Intergenerational Health Effects of Adult Literacy Programs: Evidence from India
• Parker Rogers, University of California at San Diego - Department of Economics
  Regulating the Innovators: Approval Costs and Innovation in Medical Technologies

Group #2 - Crime, Conflict, Health, and Labor
Advisor: Francisca M. Antman, University of Colorado, Boulder

• Roman Rivera, Columbia University - Department of Economics
  The Effect of Electronic Monitoring on Defendant Outcomes
• Livia Alfonsi, University of California, Berkeley - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
  Meet Your Future: Job Search Efforts and Aspirations of Young Jobseekers
• Mohammad Ahmad, Tufts University - Department of Economics
  Historical Conflict & Contemporary Economic Preferences
• Kattya Quiroga-Velasco, University of Maryland - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
  Broken Trust: Forced Sterilizations in Peru

Group #3 - Applied Micro
Advisor: Jason Shogren, University of Wyoming 

• Osaretin Olurotimi, University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
  Does Conflict Harm Learning Outcomes? Evidence from Uganda
• Christopher Malloy, University of California, Santa Barbara - Department of Economics
  The Socioeconomic Consequences of Wildfire Liability: Evidence from PSPS Events in California
• Molly Elder, Tufts University - Department of Economics
  Calculating the Social Cost of Wildfire Emissions
• Aldo Gutiérrez Mendieta, University of Maryland - Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
  A Tale of Two Goods: The Role of Environmentally Friendly Products in Consumer Choice and Public Policy

Group #4 - Public Policy
Advisor: Justin Cook, University of California, Merced

• Xinle Pang, Pennsylvania State University - Department of Economics
  Moving into the Floodplains: The Spatial Implications of Federal Disaster Relief Policies
• Maria Victoria Barone, University of California, Los Angeles - Department of Economics 
  Sick Pay and Labor Supply
• Minseon Park, University of Wisconsin - Madison - Department of Economics
  Sorting, Commuting, and School Choice
• Hadar Avivi, University of California, Berkeley - Department of Economics
  One Land, Many Promises: Heterogeneous Childhood Location Effects

WEAI conferences bring together economists from around the world offering you the opportunity to meet your best prospects for whatever you offer in economics and related fields. Check out the sponsorship and exhibitor options for the 2022 conference here!

Program Chairpersons

• Dora Costa, University of California, Los Angeles (WEAI President-Elect)
• Wade Martin, California State University, Long Beach (WEAI Executive Director)

Volunteer Session Field Chairs

• Yutian Chen, California State University, Long Beach
• Ana Paula Cusolito, World Bank Group
• Pascal Ghazalian, University of Lethbridge
• Kirsten Jaeger, International University
• Nathalie Janson, NEOMA Business School
• Yanling Qi, California State University, Long Beach
• Matthew Webb, Carleton University
• ​Xin Xie, East Tennessee State University
• Jeffrey Zax, University of Colorado Boulder

Session Organizers

• James Alleman, University of Colorado Boulder
• Morris Altman, University of Dundee
• Francisca Antman, University of Colorado Boulder
• S Anukriti, World Bank
• Laura Baldwin, RAND Corporation
• Ugurhan Berkok, Royal Military College of Canada
• David Berri, Southern Utah University
• Jane Binner, University of Birmingham
• Trudy Ann Cameron, University of Oregon
• C. Monica Capra, Claremont Graduate University
• Chun-Ping Chang, Shih Chien University at Kaohsiung
• Sanchari Choudhury, Midwestern State University
• David Chu, Institute for Defense Analyses
• Isabelle Cohen, University of Washington
• Sandra Collins, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
• Mario Crucini, Purdue University
• Takero Doi, Keio University
• Dorien Emmers, Stanford University
• Bilge Erten, Northeastern University
• Shaikh Eskander, Kingston University London
• Zadia Feliciano, Queens College, CUNY, The Graduate Center, CUNY, and NBER
• Genfu Feng, Xi'an Jiaotong University
• Mario Gonzalez, Central Bank of Chile
• Shawkat Hammoudeh, Drexel University
• Michael Haupert, University of Wisconsin -- La Crosse
• S. Aaron Hegde, California State University, Bakersfield
• Jack Hou, California State University, Long Beach, and Huazhong University of Science and Technology
• Jonathan Hughes, University of Colorado Boulder
• John Ifcher, Santa Clara University
• Selahattin Imrohoroglu, University of Southern California
• Shahidul Islam, MacEwan University
• Akshaya Jha, Carnegie Mellon University
• Sarah John, Institute for Defense Analyses
• Logan Kelly, University of Wisconsin -- River Falls
• Chong-Uk Kim, Sonoma State University
• Jaebeom Kim, Oklahoma State University
• Michael Kofoed, United States Military Academy
• Ethan Krohn, U.S. Census Bureau
• Daniel Kuehnle, University of Duisburg-Essen
• Jonathan Liebenau, London School of Economics and Political Science
• John List, University of Chicago
• Sakib Mahmud, University of Wisconsin -- Superior
• Lauren Malone, CNA Corporation
• Varghese Manaloor, University of Alberta
• Shanthi Manian, Washington State University Pullman
• Jean-Claude Maswana, Ritsumeikan University Japan
• Aine Seitz McCarthy, Lewis & Clark College
• Molly McIntosh, RAND Corporation
• Priya Mukherjee, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Paresh Kumar Narayan, Monash University
• Jeffrey Nugent, University of Southern California
• Ashley Orr, Carnegie Mellon University
• Camille Parker, U.S. Agency for International Development
• Hoang Pham, Oregon State University
• Ellen Pint, RAND Corporation
• Kasper Roszbach, Norges Bank
• Scott Rozelle, Stanford University
• Jane Ruseski, West Virginia University
• Tim Salmon, Southern Methodist University
• Kevin Schnepel, Simon Fraser University
• Rahel Schomaker, WSB University Dabrowa Gornicza
• Robert Simmons, Lancaster University
• Binyam Solomon, Carleton University, and Defence Research and Development Canada
• Dean Stansel, Southern Methodist University
• Richard Startz, University of California, Santa Barbara
• J. Craig Stone, Canadian Forces College
• Jacqueline Strenio, Southern Oregon University
• Yuxin Su, SKEMA Business School
• Raul Cruz Tadle, California State University, Sacramento
• Max Tani, University of New South Wales, Canberra
• Judit Temesvary, Federal Reserve Board of Governors
• Yohei Tenryu, University of Niigata Prefecture
• Kashi Nath Tiwari, KNT's Academic Financial Research
• Walker Todd, Middle Tennessee State University
• Lars Vilhuber, Cornell University
• Nam Vu, Miami University, Ohio
• Tatsuma Wada, Keio University
• Thomas Willett, Claremont Graduate University
• James Wilson, Russell Sage Foundation
• Laurie Wolff, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Nicolas Ziebarth, Auburn University