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Department of Economics

On July 22, 2009, Subhra Saha gave a seminar presentation at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland under the title "Research, Social Interactions, and Local Economic Performance." The focus of the talk was on the effects of university research on local economic performance. Using panel data of earnings, employment, and university activity by metropolitan area for 1980, 1990, and 2000, he finds strong positive relationship between university activities in a metropolitan area and the earning & employment opportunities of individuals. One standard deviation increase in university activities is seen to increase earnings spillovers by 2-7% and increase employment probability by 2.2%. These findings give support for the view that the activities of local universities (such as Cleveland State) have significant positive impact on the performance of the metropolitan economy (such as Cleveland).

Subhra Saha - Asst. Professor in the Department of Economics

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Yee Fei Chia attended the 7th World Congress on Health Economics of the International Health Economics Association (IHEA), which was held in Beijing, People's Republic of China, July 12-15, 2009. She gave a presentation on her current research, titled "Bad Education? College Entry, Health and Risky Behavior." The main objective of this research project is to examine the effects of college entry on changes in body weight, general health status and risky behavior for American young adults in a quantitatively rigorous manner, using individual-level panel data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY 97) Survey. The results from her analysis suggests that college entry may have negative impacts on the health and behavioral outcomes of young adults. Compared to young adults in the same age group who are not attending college, college freshmen are 3.4 to 4.8 percentage points more likely to report a gain in body weight and BMI. This, along with several other related results, suggest that a set of comprehensive policies targeted towards improving health outcomes and substance abuse awareness among college studetns may be useful in ameliorating the effects observed in her analysis.
Other research activities of the faculty are reported on our departmental news page (at www.csuohio.edu/class/economics/news.html, while the recent publications of the faculty are listed on the department research page at www.csuohio.edu/class/economics/research.html.

Yee Fei Chia - Asst. Professor in the Department of Economics

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Dr. Matthew D. Henry, an assistant professor of economics at Cleveland State University, has been selected as a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholar from a national applicant pool to attend one of 21 summer study opportunities supported by NEH.

The Endowment is a federal agency that each summer supports seminars and institutes at colleges and universities so that teachers can work in collaboration and study with experts in the humanities and related disciplines.

Dr. Henry will participate in an institute entitled “Teaching the History of Political Economy.” The three-week program, which begins June 6, will be held at Duke University and directed by Dr. Bruce Caldwell, Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the History of Political Economy at Duke. 

As one of only 25 selected scholars, Dr. Henry will explore the ideas of great economic thinkers.

“Studying the writings of the greatest minds in economics is always rewarding, but perhaps especially so in times of economic crisis,” Institute Director Caldwell said. “What did Adam Smith and Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes and Friedrich Hayek, really have to say? What might we learn from the great minds of the past?”

In light of the recent economic crisis, the study of the history of economic thought has become particularly relevant. Some participants may go on to develop history of economic thought courses of their own, others may choose to infuse existing courses in the social sciences and humanities with ideas they picked up at the Institute.

The teachers selected to participate in the program each receive a stipend of $2700 to cover their travel, study, and living expenses.

More information about the Institute is available online at the Center for the History of Political Economy Web site, www.econ.duke.edu/HOPE.

Dr. Matthew D. Henry - Asst. Professor in the Department of Economics

Music Department

Lily E. Hirsch, Assistant Professor of Music
Check out her new book, A Jewish Orchestra in Nazi Germany: Musical Politics and the Berlin Jewish Culture League, by clicking here.