2025 USC PhD in Economics Alumni Conference

The USC Department of Economics welcomed program alumni and affiliates to gather once more for the biennial USC PhD in Economics Alumni Conference on April 18-19, 2025.

This year’s conference was dedicated to the memory of, and to honor, Professor Richard (Dick) Easterlin, who sadly passed away last December 16th, 2024. Dick Easterlin is known as the Father of Happiness Economics, and for the Easterlin Paradox – his observation that human happiness does not necessarily increase over time with income.

Beyond academic exchange, the conference fostered interaction and collaboration among members of the USC Economics community, gathering graduates from all cohorts and current faculty members. The conference consisted of 2 days of plenary talks, presentations by USC Economics alumni and USC professors, a poster session with current USC PhD in Economics student spotlights, and an industry panel. This year’s plenary speakers were Thomas Chaney (John Elliott Chair in Economics, Professor of Economics) and Ayşe İmrohoroğlu (Professor of Finance and Business Economics, Professor of Economics).