Starts 8 March - Register Now!
The Structural Transformation and Economic Growth research programme is delighted to be offering a free virtual course titled “Data in Macro Development” for the spring of 2024, which will be taught by a series of lecturers and experts in the field.
What? The course is designed around a series of eleven 60-minute lectures with 15 minutes for Q&A. These lectures aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the various types of data being used in the field of macro development. This STEG Data course will explore the strengths, limitations and opportunities of existing and emerging data. We will unpack and discuss issues of selection, measurement, and interpretation across diverse data sources. Hopefully, the course will spark ideas for utilising specific data sets in your own research. More information on the webinar lecture structure is below.
Why? Macro development is a small, growing field. Textbooks are unavailable, and while many graduate programs teach some of these concepts in their courses, very few have a specific course organised around and dedicated to macro development. Building on our previous "Key Concepts in Macro Development" course, this intensive virtual data-focused program delves deeper, equipping PhD students and even early-career faculty to navigate the many data landscapes encountered in macro development research.
For whom? The course is open free-of-charge to all interested PhD students and economics faculty. Course materials (syllabus, lecture presentations, and recorded lectures) will also be available after the fact on the STEG website.
How to attend? Register for the webinar series and if you are a PhD student, indicate your ‘front row’ lecture choices to actively participate in the Zoom class. Being in the front row means that you would have access to your camera and mic to ask questions.
When? March 8 - May 31, one Friday lecture a week (except Friday 15 March and Friday 29 March) at 4 pm* London time (GMT through March dates, and then GMT+1 for April and May dates). See full course schedule below.
Course Overview:
- March 8th, 4pm GMT - Introduction/Development Accounting - Pete Klenow
- March 22nd, 3pm GMT* - Macroeconomic data - Akos Valentinyi
- April 5th, 4pm BST - Human capital data - Todd Schoellman
- April 12th, 4pm BST - Labour markets data - David Lagakos
- Apr 19th, 4pm BST - Agriculture data - Julieta Caunedo
- Apr 26th, 4pm BST - Multinational production data - Natalia Ramondo
- May 3rd, 4pm BST - International trade data - David Atkin
- May 10th, 4pm BST - Public finances and expenditures - Anders Jensen
- May 17th, 4pm BST- Geographic data and night lights - David Weil
- May 24th, 4pm BST - Cell phone data - Martina Kirchberger
- May 31st4pm BST - Climate and weather data - Jonathan Colmer
*Note the different start time and general time zone changes
Webinar structure:
- Each lecture will be delivered as a webinar. Participants will be able to pose questions in the Q&A window and we will aim to respond to top-rated questions.
- For each lecture, there will be a small ‘front row’ of ~40 PhD students who can keep their videos on and who will be encouraged to interact with the lecturer directly.
- Once registered for the course, please follow this link to select the top three lectures for which you would like to join the ‘front row’ as a PhD Student.
- We think it should be possible for everyone to have an opportunity to participate in this way. All PhD students will have equal opportunity to take part.
- If we are not able to honour your top choices, we will get in touch to let you know which other lectures you have been assigned to.
- Of course, we hope you will attend all the lectures, not just the ones where you are in the front row.
- You will receive a reminder email one hour before the start of each lecture with your unique Zoom joining link, you will be able to use the same link to join all of the lectures.
- Video recordings from the lectures will be made available the course page.
