Events and Conferences
Deep Engagement, Cutting Edge Research
Noted speakers are invited to the CDE to present public lectures and to conduct in-class seminars on topics related to the problems faced by developing countries. These lectures offer a unique opportunity for CDE fellows to interact with major policymakers in the field of economic development. The small class size gives each student access to the speaker and allows a meaningful exchange of ideas.
In addition to seminars, which follow the typical lecture format, the CDE also hosts Development Dialogues, a lunch series intended to facilitate interactive dialogue with policymakers, academics, fellows, and undergraduates.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Anna Gelpern: Current Challenges for Debt Restructuring in Developing Countries
Anna Gelpern, Professor of Law and International Finance at George Washington University, specializes in international financial regulation and sovereign debt. Her extensive expertise in law and economics has shaped global financial governance. Gelpern’s work is vital in navigating complex financial landscapes and promoting economic stability on a global scale.

Andrew Powell: Commodity Markets: A Primer and Review
Andrew Powell is renown for his contributions to Latin American economic policy and development. His work influences economic strategies in the region, fostering sustainable growth and stability. His insights play a pivotal role in shaping economic discourse and policy implementation.

Conferences
2024 Conference
Health and Development: Micro and Macro | April 11-12, 2024
A two-day conference presenting a broad range of perspectives on issues pertaining to health and development.
(Schedule and Speaker Lineup are to be announced in late Jan, 2024)
Past Conferences
Finance and Development | April 13-14, 2023
Gender and Economic Development | April, 2019
Technology and Financial Services | April, 2018
Climate Change and Development Policy | April, 2017
Tackling Global Poverty | April, 2016
Historical Persistence in Comparative Development | October, 2015
Professional Development Teas
9/18/23 | Andrew Powell | Williams College | Sudden Stops During COVID: The Dog that Didn’t Bark |
10/9/23 | Anna Gelpern | Georgetown Law, Washington DC | Current Challenges for Debt Restructuring in Developing Countries |
10/23/23 | Andrew Powell | Williams College | Commodity Markets: A Primer and Review |
11/6/23 | Ricardo Hausmann | Kennedy School, Harvard | Knowledge, Complexity and Economic Growth |
11/13/23 | Andrew Powell | Williams College | Multilateral Financing: Squeezing More Toothpaste from the Tube |
11/27/23 | Eric Parrado | Inter American Development Bank, Chief Economist | Gender issues in development |
PAST EVENTS
Andrew Powell: Sudden Stops During COVID: The Dog that Didn’t Bark
Andrew Powell is renowned for his contributions to Latin American economic policy and development. His work influences economic strategies in the region, fostering sustainable growth and stability. His insights play a pivotal role in shaping economic discourse and policy implementation.

CDE/Per Jacobsson Speaker Series: A Conversation with Ahmad Kaikaus (CDE ’00, World Bank)
The Williams Center for Development Economics (CDE) is delighted to introduce a new initiative – the CDE/Per Jacobsson Foundation Speaker Series. On Sept. 16 and 17, Ahmad Kaikaus, Ph.D., Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank, will inaugurate the series as the first speaker for the 2023-24 academic year. Dr. Kaikaus earned a master’s degree…

Jenny C. Aker: It’s all fun and games? Using WTP Experiments for Longer-Term Impacts
This paper uses a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak (BDM) experiment in a randomized control trial (RCT) to test the long-term impacts of an improved storage technology. It finds positive and persistent short-term treatment effects on adoption, usage, storage behavior, reduced pesticide use, and improved health outcomes.





Past Guest Speakers
Pierre-Richard Agenor, University of Manchester
Fakhruddin Ahmed, CDE ’71, former Chief Adviser of Bangladesh and former Governor of Bangladesh Bank
Oliver Babson, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Nancy Birdsall, Center for Global Development
Olivier Blanchard, International Monetary Fund
Stijn Claessens, International Monetary Fund
Angus Deaton, Princeton University and Nobel Prize Recipient
Karen Dynan, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and Chief Economist of the United States Department of the Treasury
Solomon Hsiang, University of California Berkeley
Ishrat Husain, CDE ’72, former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan
Michael Kremer, Harvard University
Eteri Kvintradze, CDE ’99, International Monetary Fund
Guillermo Ortiz, Banorte, formerly Banco Central de Mexico
Dani Rodrik, Harvard University
Andrew Steer, World Resources Institute
Joseph Stiglitz, Columbia University
Gary Teves, CDE ’68, former Secretary of the Department of Finance of the Philippines
Goh Chok Tong, CDE ’67, former Prime Minister of Singapore
David Weil, Brown University
Megamenu Social