"The Name of the Disease": Documentary
Abhijit Banerjee and Arundhati Tuli Banerjee
Tue Jan 16, 01-02:30pm, E52-175
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A documentary on health care in rural India by Abhijit Banerjee and Arundhati Tuli Banerjee. The documentary "The Name of the Disease" explores the voices of patients, shamans, doctors, and varied health officials in some of the poorest parts of rural Rajasthan, India, to attempt an understanding of the complex and multi-layered narratives of the poor and the sick. The film looks at some of the often conflicting perspectives, and it addresses the questions of daily tragedy and fatalism, tradition and modernity and complacency and rage, as it traces stories that people tell about their lives.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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An Unofficial Guide To Trying To Do Empirical Research
Amy Finkelstein
Wed Jan 17, 01-02:30pm, E51-361
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
An informal discussion with graduate students interested in empirical work on some successful strategies for making progress on research projects.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Climate Change 101: Economics and Policy
Valerie J. Karplus
Thu Jan 18, 02-04:00pm, E40-496
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Concerned about climate change but unsure how our policy options stack up? This session presents the basic economics of climate policy design and offers several techniques for comparing among alternatives. Topics to be covered include emissions taxes versus caps, the Kyoto Protocol, and the role of developing countries. No formal economics training is required.
Contact: Therese Henderson, E40-428, x3-7492, tzh@mit.edu
Sponsor: Joint Program/Science and Policy of Global Change
Cosponsor: Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
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College Funding
Earl Kishida and Kimberly Shooter
Wed Jan 17, 12-01:00pm, 32-141
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 10-Jan-2007
Limited to 50 participants.
Single session event
Do College Costs Feel Out of Reach?
Just about everyone agrees that an education pays. The real question is how to pay for an education. The good news is there are lots of tax-advantaged savings plans, tax breaks and aid programs to help pay the bills. The important step is to start saving now - it's never too late. Learn sound strategies for keeping a college education within reach. This seminar will cover topics to include:
•Inflation and college costs
•Calculating funding needs
•Tax-advantaged savings strategies
•Choosing a funding option
•Investment strategies
•The cost of procrastination
Contact: Theresa Taft, NE48, x4-1826, tmtaft@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Federal Credit Union
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How Far Will the Housing Bubble Burst?
William Wheaton
Tue Jan 30, 01-02:30pm, E51-325
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Professor Wheaton will discuss what is different in this housing correction from past ones and make some prognosis for its depth and duration
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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How to Save a Million Dollars: Retirement Saving with 401(k)'s and IRAs
James Poterba
Mon Jan 8, 02-03:00pm, E51-372
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Tax-deferred retirement saving programs, such as 401(k) plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), provide powerful tools for accumulating retirement wealth. This presentation will explain how these programs work and why they offer attractive wealth-accumulation opportunities for many individuals.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Inside the International Monetary Fund: How it works; What It Does
Rachel Glennerster
Thu Jan 11, 10:30-11:30am, E51-361
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Seemingly always at the center of a heated public debate, the International Monetary Fund is simultaneously criticized for being irrelevant given the economic realities of the 21 century and overly powerful. Discussion of these issues in the press and elsewhere is often based on a misunderstanding of how and why the institution operates as it does. Rather than rehash old debates, this session is designed to provide an inside view of how the institution works, the different mechanisms through which the IMF supports the international financial system (of which its lending program is only a part), how decisions about lending get made, and how conditionally works in practice. The session is designed to be accessible to all students whether or not they have a background in economics.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Keeping Your Investment Strategy On Track
Paul Gunning, Senior Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments
Thu Jan 18, 12-01:00pm, Mezzanine, W20-307
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This session will help you actively review, evaluate, and rebalance your 401(k) portfolio on an on-going basis and will give you the knowledge and confidence to do so.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Senior Retirement Counselor,, (617) 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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MIT Retirement Plans Overview
Ellen Cushman, Kim Forness, MIT Retirement Counselors
Tue Jan 9, 12-01:00pm, Bush Room, 10-105
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop is designed for employees who want a review of how the MIT Retirement Plans work and the specific provisions of both Plans. Highlights include an in-depth review of the features and benefits of the MIT Basic Retirement Plan and the MIT Supplemental 401(k) Plan. There will also be a discussion of the tools, information, and services available to help you with your retirement planning.
Contact: Ellen Cushman, ecushman@mit.edu
Sponsor: Human Resources
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Numerical Techniques in Economics
Stephen Ryan
Thu Jan 25, 09:30-10:30am, E51-361
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The talk will focus on introducing people to a variety of numerical techniques that can be useful in economic research. I will cover a little background on programming compiled languages versus interpreted environments like Matlab, equation solving and function minimization, dynamic programming, numerical integration and differentiation, and some references for further work.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Power Up! 2.0: Energy Industry Information from the MIT Libraries
Alex Caracuzzo, Katherine McNeill-Harman, Chris Sherratt
Tue Jan 30, 12-01:00pm, 14N-132
Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 27 participants.
Single session event
Learn how to use MIT Libraries' databases and the Internet to uncover energy-related industry overviews, market research, and country statistics.
Contact: Alex Caracuzzo, E53-100, x3-5670, alex3@mit.edu
Sponsor: Libraries
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Preserving Wealth for Your Heirs
Earl Kishida and Kimberly Shooter
Wed Jan 24, 12-01:00pm, 32-141
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 17-Jan-2007
Limited to 50 participants.
Single session event
The saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" certainly applies when it comes to your estate. Without proper planning, your estate may be settled in ways you did not intend. By using proven strategies, you can help ensure that your heirs will inherit more of your property, cash, investments, savings, and business interests. During this seminar you'll learn about:
•Calculating the value of your estate
•Benefits of estate conservation
•Probate and how to avoid it
•Estimating your tax liability
•Strategies to help reduce estate taxes
•Estate distribution techniques including wills and trusts
Contact: Maria Connelly, NE48, x3-3579, mariac@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Federal Credit Union
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Professional Portfolio Selection Techniques: From Markowitz to Innovative Engineering
Antonella Sabatini
Wed Jan 10, 04:30-06:30pm, 32-141
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A review of the most important and widely used state-of-the-art Portfolio Selection Techniques will be presented. Such techniques could be used by capital firm wealth management institutions as well as for a personal financial portfolio. A brief outline of some innovative methodologies will be illustrated. Gentle introduction to the subject, specifically targeted at first year undergraduates in Economics, EECS and other fields with interest in quantitative finance, economics and management, with emphasis on innovation and research.
Pizza and beverages will be provided
Cosponsor: Graduate Student Council
Contact: Valerie Gordeski, romashka@mit.edu
Sponsor: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Cosponsor: EECS Graduate Students Association
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Redistricting and the Rise of Pork Barrel Politics (a.k.a. "This Little Piggy Went to Washington")
Richard Holden
Mon Jan 22, 10:30am-12:00pm, E51-145
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This talk will examine the link between the increasingly aggressive use of "gerrymandering", the increase in congressional earmarks, and ideological polarization in the US congress. There will be a mixture of empirical evidence and theoretical explanations. I will argue that advances in redistricting technology have led to a more polarized congress and that bargaining in this more polarized legislature has led to the remarkable rise in earmarks/pork.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Retirement Investment Strategies
Earl Kishida and Kimberly Shooter
Wed Jan 10, 12-01:00pm, 32-141
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 50 participants.
Single session event
If you are like most people, saving for retirement represents the largest investment you'll ever make. Be sure that your investment strategy will make the most of your hard-earned money. In this seminar you'll learn strategies to help you:
•Calculate the cost of retirement
•Invest for growth potential, income, and stability
•Manage taxes\\* and outpacing the effects of inflation
•Reduce investment risk while maintaining growth potential
•Avoid common investment pitfalls
\\*Representative is not a tax advisor. For information regarding your specific tax situation, please consult a tax professional.
Contact: Maria Connelly, NE48, x3-3579, mariac@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Federal Credit Union
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Saving For Retirement: What Every Woman Needs to Know
Diane Bolden, Senior Retirement Counselor Fidelity Investments
Fri Jan 19, 12-01:00pm, Bush Room, 10-105
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop focuses on specific challenges for women saving for retirement: rising life expectancies, nonlinear employment history, and compensation. Attendees will learn how to set up an action plan to take control of their financial future.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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Straight Talk About Women and Investing
Earl Kishida and Kimberly Shooter
Wed Jan 31, 12-01:00pm, 32-141
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 24-Jan-2007
Limited to 50 participants.
There is a high likelihood that a woman will be responsible for her own or her family's finances one day. For this reason, women need to be prepared. This seminar will help women learn to be careful, competent, disciplined long-term investors, and can help attain the financial security you seek for yourself and those you're close to. This seminar will cover investment opportunities and principles such as:
•Asset Allocation
•Investor Behavior
•Mutual Funds
•Annuities
Contact: Theresa Taft, NE48, x4-1826, tmtaft@mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Federal Credit Union
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Strategies of Estate Planning
Mike Murphy, Vice President of Estate Planning Fidelity Investments
Tue Jan 23, 12-01:30pm, Bechtel Hall; 1-390
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This workshop provides a basic overview of estate planning including wills, trusts, and the fundamentals of a sound estate plan. Attendees will walk away with a general understanding of estate planning and what to consider when their retirement plan balances are a significant part of their estate.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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The Economic Impacts of Climate Change: A Discussion of the Stern Report
Paul Joskow
Thu Feb 1, 01:30-03:30pm, E51-315
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A Panel discussion of the Stern Report.
Professor Robert M. Solow, Institute Professor and Professor of Economics Emeritus (Moderator)
• Professor Paul L. Joskow, MIT Department of Economics
• Professor Stephen Ansolabehere, MIT Department of Political Science
• Dr. A. Denny Ellerman, MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research
• Professor Henry Jacoby, Sloan School of Management and MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
• Professor Ronald Prinn, Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Center for Global Change Science
• Dr. John Reilly, MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
• Dr. John Parsons, MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research
Contact: Paul Joskow, pjoskow@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The Economic Impacts of Climate Change: A Discussion of the Stern Review
Paul Joskow
Thu Feb 1, 01:30-03:30pm, E51-315
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
The Economic Impacts of Climate Change: A Discussion of the Stern Review
Panel discussion of the Stern Review assessment of evidence on impacts and costs of climate change using different techniques to assess costs and risks concluding there is still time to avoid the worst impacts if we take strong action now.
Professor Robert M. Solow, Institute Professor and Professor of Economics Emeritus (Moderator)
Professor Paul L. Joskow, MIT Economics
Professor Stephen Ansolabehere, MIT Political Science
Dr. A. Denny Ellerman, MIT CEEPR
Professor Henry Jacoby, MIT Sloan School and Joint Program/Global Change
Professor Ronald Prinn, MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences and Center for Global Change Science
Dr. John Reilly, MIT Joint Program/Global Change
Dr. John Parsons, MIT CEEPR
Web: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/independent_reviews/stern_review_economics_climate_change/stern_review_report.cfm
Contact: Paul Joskow, pjoskow@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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The State of the World Economy
Olivier Blanchard & Robert Solow
Mon Jan 29, 02:30-03:30pm, E51-335
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A tour of the world, and the macroeconmic issues of the day, from growth in China, to the slump in Europe, to the current account deficit int he United States
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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What You Can Do With a Course 14 Degree
Jon Gruber
Wed Jan 10, 04-05:00pm, E51-390
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
A panel of former course 14 majors will discuss their post-graduation career paths.
Contact: Denise MacDougall, dmac@mit.edu
Sponsor: Economics
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Your College Savings Options
Patricia Gildea, Regional Consultant Fidelity Investments
Wed Jan 24, 12-01:00pm, 20 Chimneys, W20-306
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
This session provides information on meeting the challenge of saving for college. Determine how much you might actually pay for school and learn about other resources that may be available to you.
Contact: Paul Gunning, Retirement Counselor, Fidelity Investments, 258-8872, paul.gunning@fmr.com
Sponsor: Human Resources
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