From unseen consequences of policy decisions to why incentives often backfire, Jadrian Wooten explores some powerful but often overlooked economic principles. Learn why economists obsess over trade-offs, how markets shape behavior in surprising ways, and what all this means for big issues like tariffs, automation, and inequality. Real-world examples and interaction will make economic thinking more accessible and useful. In addition to teaching economics at Virginia Tech, Professor Wooten writes weekly as The Monday Morning Economist and regularly speaks on topics ranging from economic literacy to the future of work.
Why do we spend so much on solving homelessness, yet still see so many people outside on our streets? Listen to Path Home’s Executive Director Brandi Tuck give a presentation on the history, causes, and effects, examining its root causes and exploring different populations that experience homelessness including the “invisible homeless”, maybe the most vulnerable group but receiving the least attention. You’ll also learn what we can do to end the crisis once and for all. For more than 20 years, Brandi has provided direct services to thousands of families with children experiencing homelessness in Oregon.
We are still early in our ability to apply the implications of rising temperatures on human and ecosystem health at urban and regional scales. PSU professor Vivek Shandas will provide a general overview of the shifts in temperature regimes across the Pacific Northwest, our emerging understanding of institutional response, and then make a case for developing adaption system that foster greater resilience to extreme climate-induced events. With 5 books and 100+ publications, Dr. Shandas's projects on regional climate systems and decisions have been featured in international media outlets, and he has served on National Councils and Academies.
Contact: Vivek Shandas vshandas@gmail.com
In the early 1970s, at the Vietnam war's height, Dr. Orians traveled to Vietnam with a fellow scientist to consider what the war was doing to the biological environment of the country. What they encountered there was not only the devastating destruction of biological diversity but also of livable habitat and food supplies. Additionally, they drew some fascinating insights into news reports and what was actually happening on the ground. Orians is an HGP favorite, a U. Washington Professor Emeritus of Biology, has served as its Director of Environmental Studies, and has served on National Academies.
Science: https://www.science.org/toc/science/168/3931