35th Economic Outlook Conference

Thu, Feb 8 2024, 8am - 12pm

Central Bank Center:

The 35^th Economic Outlook Conference will be held at the Central Bank Center on February 8^th, 2024. Join experts from the Gatton College of Business and Economics, the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, and the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis as they discuss the economic outlook for 2024 and spotlight the effects of AI on employment and wages. Engage in discussions on AI’s broader economic influence and gain insights into the 2024 national and state-level economic forecasts.

AI is a focal point for policy makers and the public, with a recent Pew Research Center survey revealing more concerns that excitement. Dr. Brent Harrison and Dr. John Garen, will share perspectives on AI’s impact on Kentucky’s economy, emphasizing the mix of positive and negative effects experienced with past technological innovations.

The registration fee is $125 and the deadline to register is February 5^th. Registration is required.
To register, CLICK HERE.

This year's speakers include Charles Gascon, Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Dr. Michael Clark, Director of the Center of Business and Economic Research and Associate Professor of Economics in the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky; Dr. Brent Harrison, Assistant Professor in the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky; and Dr. John Garen, BB&T Professor Emeritus of Economics in the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky.

The Institute's Director, Dr. Charles Courtemanche, will serve as the moderator for this year's conference.

To access the 35^th Economic Outlook Conference program, CLICK HERE.

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Speakers

Charles S. Gascon Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Charles S. Gascon is a senior economist in the Research division at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. He analyzes economic conditions nationally and in the Eighth Federal Reserve District. He reports on regional economic conditions to the Bank president and staff economists prior to Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings. He is responsible for writing the bank’s Beige Book report on economic conditions and contributes to other bank publications. His work has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and in local media outlets. He is a member of the American Economic Association and the National Association for Business Economics. Gascon has a master’s degree in economics from State University of New York at Albany and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. He lives in University City Missouri with his wife and two children.

Michael Clark Director, Center for Business and Economic Research | Associate Professor of Economics, University of Kentucky

Michael W. Clark is the Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics. He earned a B.A. in Management and an M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Kentucky. Prior to coming to UK, Dr. Clark was the Chief Economist for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. He conducts applied economic and policy research focusing on labor, health, economic development issues. His work has been published in the Journal of Labor Research. He has conducted research for various Kentucky state agencies including the Department of Public Health, the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, and the Department of Income Support.

Brent Harrison Assistant Professor of Computer Science, University of Kentucky

Brent Harrison is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Kentucky’s Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. Dr. Harrison earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Auburn University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina State University. The goal of his research is to create AI and machine learning systems that can better understand and interact with humans. This involves imbuing machine learning systems with a better understanding of human communication patterns, values, and personality. His research interest includes artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous agents, game design, and computational storytelling. Dr. Harrison’s work has been presented at various conferences and published in the conference proceeding including the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, the International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, and the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI, Ethics, and Society.

John Garen BB&T Professor of Economics, University of Kentucky

John Garen is the BB&T Professor of Economics in the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky and is the founding director and an affiliate of the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise. He has been a member of the Gatton faculty since 1985. Dr. Garen received his Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1982 and has served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago, a Visiting Scholar at the Mercatus Center, at National Sun Yat-Sen University, and at National Taiwan Normal University, and is a member of the Mercatus Center’s Faculty Network and of the Board of Scholars for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions. From 2005-2009 he served as Department Chair and during 2004-2005 he was Co-Director of the Gatton College’s Center for Business and Economic Research. Dr. Garen’s interests have focused on the economics of organizations, labor and human resource economics, and the role of government in society. He has conducted research on a wide variety of economic issues, leading to over thirty-five publications in many of the foremost academic journals, as well as numerous reports and manuscripts. Based on this experience, Dr. Garen has generated a flow of opinion columns, media work, and presentations to the public on the economy and economic issues, and on the importance of economics to good public policy.