James Poterba, MIT's Mitsui Professor of Economics and central organizer of the MIT 150th symposium on economics and finance, speaks during the first day of the two-day event.

Nobel prize winners Robert Solow, professor emeritus in the Department of Economics; and Peter Diamond, an Institute Professor, were among Thursday's panelist.

From left, Ricardo Caballero PhD '88, head of MIT's Department of Economics; Olivier Blanchard PhD ’77, the Class of 1941 Professor of Economics at MIT and chief economist with the International Monetary Fund; Robert J. Gordon '67, Stanley G. Harris Professor of the Social Sciences, Northwestern University; N. Gregory Mankiw PhD ’84, Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics, Harvard University; and Christina Romer PhD ’85, Class of 1957-Garff B. Wilson Professor of Economics, University of California, Berkeley.

The 'The Evolution of Financial Technology' panel, included Andrew W. Lo, Harris and Harris Group Professor, MIT Sloan School of Management; John C. Cox, Nomura Professor of Finance, MIT Sloan; Robert C. Merton PhD ’70, School of Management Distinguished Professor of Finance, MIT Sloan; Stewart C. Myers, Robert C. Merton (1970) Professor of Financial Economics, MIT Sloan; Stephen A. Ross, Franco Modigliani Professor of Financial Economics, MIT Sloan; Myron S. Scholes, Frank E. Buck Professor of Finance, Emeritus, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University.

Judy C. Lewent SM ’72, former executive vice president and chief financial officer, Merck & Co., Inc. speaks during the 'Finance in Action' panel.

From left to right, Stewart C. Myers, Robert C. Merton (1970) Professor of Financial Economics, MIT Sloan School of Management; Douglas T. Breeden ’72, William W. Priest, Jr. Professor of Finance, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University; Eugene Flood PhD ’84, President and CEO, Smith Breeden Associates.