Department of Economics

Heady Hall
home of Economics at ISU

Welcome

Welcome to the Department of Economics at Iowa State University. We provide the intellectual home to a set of dedicated and talented faculty, motivated and extremely capable staff, and a diverse group of enthusiastic undergraduate and graduate students.

What is Economics?

Economics is the study of what individuals, institutions, and economic systems do, or should do, as they deal with the problem of satisfying virtually unlimited wants with scarce resources. Economics deals with choices and optimization, typically embedded in a market system where the notion of equilibrium is essential and where prices play a crucial role. Economics provides a logical and ordered way of looking at a wide variety of issues, and the principles of economics are finding growing applicability in a number of fields. An understanding of economic concepts can provide substantial personal and social benefits.

News

Agriculture will struggle as public research budgets decline, says Huffman

As public dollars to fund research at land grant universities continue to decline, what are the impacts on agriculture? Professor Wallace Huffman, ISU Department of Economics, analyzes the issue in a feature article written by Cheryl Tevis, in the mid-February 2012 edition of Successful Farming. To read the full article click on the image left.

New report on Iowa population from Community Vitality Center

A new report by Sandra Burke, senior researcher with the Community Vitality Center, shows that baby boomers, or individuals born between 1946 and 1964, continue to be a significant part of Iowa's population.

The report was produced through Midlife & Beyond: The Whole Picture, a program of ISU Extension directed towards families. To read the report, click on the icon to the left. Contact Sandra Burke for more information at: scburke@iastate.edu

Ag Entrepreneurship students develop new app

Students of the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative learn how to take an idea and develop it into a potential business, while some actually put their plans in motion. Read a recent article by Gene Lucht of Iowa Farmer Today, about several students who have developed a successful app that helps farmers identify corn and soybean weeds and pests in the field.

http://www.iowafarmertoday.com/news/regional/entrepreneur-program-turns-...

EGSA officers elected for 2012-13 school year

New EGSA officers were elected for the 2012-13 school year. Matt Clancy (center), second year PhD student, was elected president; Jimena Gonzalez Ramirez (right), second year PhD student, was elected vice president; and Sulagna Sarkar (left), third year PhD student, was elected treasurer.

The officers will keep their focus on mentoring first-year students, and building social events for graduate students. Says Clancy, "During your first year you have the same classes with other first-year students, and so you become close. But after that people start to spread out. Our hope is to host more events so that students can take time to reconnect."

All of the new EGSA officers agreed that striking a balance between work and leisure is important. "I always feel happier when I keep my work balanced with other activities that are fun or relaxing," says Gonzalez Ramirez.

Upcoming Seminars

Steve Sexton, University of California at Berkeley, Environmental/Resource Recruiting Seminar, Thu, Feb 9, 2012 3:40 pm - 5:00 pm, 368A Heady Hall
Charles Seguin, University of California at Berkeley, Environmental/Resource Recruiting Seminar, Mon, Feb 13, 2012 3:40 pm - 5:00 pm, 368A Heady Hall
Sebastian Houde, University of California at Stanford, Environmental/Resource Recruiting Seminar, Thu, Feb 16, 2012 3:40 pm - 5:00 pm, 368A Heady Hall
Fabrizio Perri (University of Minnesota), Department Seminar, Mon, Feb 20, 2012 4:10 pm - 5:30 pm, 368A Heady Hall
Erin Krupka (University of Michigan), Bob R. Holdren Memorial Lecture, Mon, Feb 27, 2012 4:10 pm - 5:30 pm, 368A Heady Hall