November 13, 2000
UCSC hosts top economists at third annual conference
By Jennifer McNulty
Prominent international economists gathered on campus recently for the third annual
SCCIE International Economics Conference, where research in the areas of international
finance and trade was presented.
Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Center for
International Economics (SCCIE), the conference November 3-4 included a series
of workshops that attracted about 50 participants, including graduate students. Topics
included:
- trade and global warming
- budget policy and currency crises
- an evaluation of intellectual property rights agreements enforced by the World Trade Organization
SCCIE's goal is to sponsor research and seminars on key policy issues in international
economics. Its members include international economists from the UCSC Economics Department,
as well as members of other departments on campus, graduate students, and affiliated
research associates.
"Our objective is to become one of the world's leading institutions in the field
of international economics," said SCCIE coordinator Michael Hutchison, one of
four economics professors who are codirectors of the center. "We want to study
policy issues that are important to the state of California and to international
economics generally."
The center is poised to hire two more economists this year and to expand its programs,
added Hutchison.
In addition to the annual conference, SCCIE activities include workshops, sponsorship
of a seminar series, publication of working papers, and hosting prominent visitors
to campus. Recent workshops focused on the World Trade Organization and on international
labor issues.
SCCIE also cosponsors, with UC San Diego, the West Coast Japan Economic Seminar.
Activities are coordinated closely with the Economics Department and the doctoral
program in international economics. SCCIE is also working with College Nine, which
has an international studies theme, to offer undergraduate research awards in the
area of international studies.
"As a research institute, SCCIE is in a position to involve more graduate and
undergraduate students and to bring more visiting scholars to campus," said
Hutchison. "We look forward to developing our programs and expanding our impact,
both on campus and off."
Hutchison is joined in administering the center by fellow economics professors Michael
Dooley, K. C. Fung, and Nirvikar Singh. Hutchison and Singh share research interests
that focus on international trade issues, while Hutchison and Dooley have expertise
in international finance.
