Development Talks
The Growth Lab's "Development Talks" is a series of conversations with policymakers and academics working on economic growth and development in countries, regions, states and cities in the US and around the world. The seminar provides a platform for practitioners and researchers to discuss both economic growth and development and analytical work centered on policy.
We value engagement with the academic and policy community focused on economic growth and development, and do so through classroom teaching, seminars and events. The Growth Lab hosted more than 50 events and 3,000 attendees in 2022. If you'd like to support our engagement, please email Andrea Carranza.
FEATURED DEV TALKS
A Conversation with Indermit Gill
The Growth Lab kicked off the Fall 2023 semester with a Development Talk seminar featuring Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group and Senior Vice President for Development Economics. Dr. Gill discussed the immediate and long-term global economic prospects, possible remedies, job creation and the threat of artificial intelligence, and the upcoming 2024 World Development Report.
The session was moderated by Dany Bahar, Associate Professor at Brown University's Watson Institute and Senior Research Fellow at the Growth Lab.
THE WILD, WILD WEST: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE COWBOY STATE?
As part of our Pathways to Prosperity policy engagement, the Growth Lab has been working with Gov. Mark Gordon and other state and local officials across Wyoming over the past year to unpack their growth and development challenges. Our research has focused on housing constraints, workforce challenges, access to infrastructure funding, and decarbonization. In this discussion at the JFK Jr. Forum, Gov. Gordon touched upon numerous challenges and opportunities facing Wyoming and western states.
The session was moderatored by Jeff Liebman, Director of the Taubman Center for State and Local Government.
NAVIGATING CRISIS AND LEADING CHANGE IN MOLDOVA
Natalia Gavrilița served as the 15th Prime Minister of Moldova between August 2021 and February 2023. She led the Government through multiple overlapping crises caused by the war in neighboring Ukraine while also advancing ambitious anti-corruption, economic, and governance reforms. Currently, she is a member of the Supervisory Board of the National Bank of Moldova, as well as a member of the ECFR Board.
Moderator: Karen Donfried, Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and former Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs
More DEV Talks
- #DevTalks: Economic Gardening and Capitalism's Conundrum
- #DevTalks: How Can Wall Street Avoid Funding Dictators?
- #DevTalks: Building Inclusive Cities
- #DevTalks: Navigating Crisis and Leading Change in Moldova
- #DevTalks: The Wild, Wild West / What Can We Learn From the Cowboy State?
- #DevTalks: A Conversation with Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank
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Our Speakers
We provide a forum for senior policymakers to discuss their experiences in policy reform and for academics to share their research insights related to the practice of economic development.
Past speakers include: Dr. Omar Razzaz, Former Prime Minister of Jordan; HE Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy; Ipumbu W. Shiimi, Namibia Minister of Finance; Antoinette M. Sayeh, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF; Jody K. Olsen, Executive Director of U.S. Peace Corps; Etjen Xhafaj, MP in Albanian Parliament; Ann Bernstein, Executive Director, Centre for Development and Enterprise; Joseph Henrich, Professor, Harvard University; Chris Blattman, Professor, University of Chicago; Leah Boustan, Professor of Economics, Princeton University; Donald Kaberuka, President, African Development Bank; and Nangula Uaandja, CEO, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board.
HKS students converse with UAE Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri following his Development Talk.