The Albany State University College of Business will conclude its 2013 Economic Education lecture series Monday, April 22, at 11:15 a.m. in Peace Hall Room 127. Dr. Lisa D. Cook, Assistant Professor of Economics and International Relations at Michigan State University is the keynote speaker.

Cook will discuss the role of innovation in economic growth and development at the 11:15 a.m. lecture.  She will host a workshop designed to empower women to become entrepreneurs at 1: p.m. in Peace Hall Room 127. Cook’s lecture will focus on the integral role women play in uplifting economies and share strategies about empowering women to become entrepreneurs. There will be a discussion about the impact of gender equality among women; how it relates to economic development and how to improve women's access to economic opportunity will be explored. 

After receiving a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College, she was a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. She earned a doctorate in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. Her current research interests are economic growth and development, financial institutions and markets, innovation, and economic history.

In 2012, Cook served as a senior economist at President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers and worked on the Euro-zone financial instruments, innovation, and entrepreneurship initiative.  She also assisted U2’s Bono in persuading senior White House officials about the merits of debt relief to poor countries.

Her publications have appeared in the American Economic Review, Explorations in Economic History, and the Business History Review. Funding sources for the research derive from the National Science Foundation, the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Economic History Association, the Social Science Research Council and Harvard Business School. 

This event is funded by the Charles Koch Foundation. Admission is free and both sessions are open to the public.

For more information contact the Office of University Communications at (229) 430-4671.