Economists as Weathermen, Engineers, and Plumbers?

January 23, 2017

Economics is a discipline that is often interpreted, or misinterpreted, by people in various ways. When explaining to friends about your major, what’s a good metaphor to use? In this interesting article, three metaphors are proposed, each with their own merits: Economists as Weathermen This metaphor has been more disparagingly used in reference to macroeconomic models that … More Economists as Weathermen, Engineers, and Plumbers?

Econ in the News: Agriculture in Cuba

December 8, 2016

A recent New York Times Article revealed that Cubans can’t afford diet staple foods because of increased tourism in Cuba. In response, Raúl Castro has pledged to crack down on middlemen for price gouging, and institute price controls on certain fruits and vegetables. While Castro’s engagement of the issue signals the government’s theories for reasons behind … More Econ in the News: Agriculture in Cuba

Econ in the News: Snap Spectacles and Scarcity Value

November 21, 2016

Snap Inc. (Snapchat’s newly-created parent) is trying to succeed where Google Glass failed: wearable recording technology. This time, Snapchat’s Spectacles – sunglasses fitted with cameras on either side that can record 10-second clips for all your Snapchat needs – appear to be avoiding the “Glasshole” negative associations that plagued Google’s launch. Indeed, Snap’s strategy provides … More Econ in the News: Snap Spectacles and Scarcity Value

Things I learned from my Summer 2016 Internships

September 5, 2016

It’s hard to believe that another summer has come and gone. As the title of this article suggests, I spent my summer working at two internships, both of which were comfortably located at the University of California, Irvine. At UCI Applied Innovation, a Chancellor-sponsored initiative focused on uniting and growing Orange County’s entrepreneurial community, I worked on Marketing Analytics as … More Things I learned from my Summer 2016 Internships

Econ in the News: Pop Culture Economics

August 21, 2016

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about my two internships this summer, but I actually have a third job that I’ve been putting some time and effort into as well. I’m working with Professor Melanie Morten to redesign her pedagogical methods in ECON1 by using pop culture references to teach foundational economic concepts. My task … More Econ in the News: Pop Culture Economics