Great Problems, Great Minds Seminar Series: Outlook for the United States and Midwest Economies

Join the Social Sciences Colloquium at the Department of Social Sciences for this Great Problems, Great Minds seminar series event featuring guest speaker Thomas Walstrum, a senior business economist in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This seminar will take place on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, from 5–6:15 p.m. in room 104 of the Rettaliata Engineering Center and over Zoom.

Abstract

What is the state of the economy? And where might it be headed? Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago economist Thomas Walstrum will present key indicators for the United States’ economy and explain how they all fit together to understand where the economy is right now and how conditions could evolve. This talk will also discuss the long-run outlook for the Midwest economy relative to the U.S. as a whole.

Bio

Thomas Walstrum is a senior business economist in the economic research department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. His responsibilities include the Seventh District’s contribution to the Beige Book, the Chicago Fed Survey of Economic Conditions, and briefings for the Chicago Fed president on Seventh District economic conditions. He also is a contributing author to the Bank’s Midwest Economy blog. His research concentrates on labor economics and urban and regional economics. Walstrum holds a B.A. in Economics from Wheaton College, Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“Great Problems Great Minds Seminar Series: Outlook for the US and Midwest Economies is part of the Social Sciences Colloquium of the Great Problems, Great Minds seminar series which explores the major problems facing humanity as we move into the heart of the twenty first century. To see the full schedule and videos from previous events, visit the seminar series page. For more information, contact Associate Professor of Social Sciences Hao Huang at hhuang48@iit.edu.

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