On April 30th the Economics Department celebrated the incredible careers of Tom Fomby and Raj Deb who each gave 50 years of teaching and service to SMU. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter, memories, and heartfelt appreciation for their many contributions to the department and the Economics profession. Wishing them a well-deserved, happy, and enriching retirement.
SMU Human Trafficking Data Research (HTDR) Project Team (www.smu.edu/htdr) is honored to host these dynamic speakers at the 2025 SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference: Strategies for Effective Human Trafficking Data on June 9-10, 2025.
Content will include presentations, breakout and networking sessions, and innovation highlights. The main areas of focus are law enforcement, nonprofit, medical/healthcare, legal, survivor leadership, and research/data science.
Date: Monday, June 9 – Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Location: Frances Anne Moody Hall on Southern Methodist University (SMU) campus
About the Conference
Registration (Deadline: Monday, May 19)
Browse the contents of SMU Human Trafficking Data Conference:
Professor Ömer Özak has been selected to receive the Thomas W. Tunks Distinguished University Citizen Award at the faculty’s University Graduation Breakfast.
The award is given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding citizenship through dedicated service to the University and its governance.
Congratulations, Professor Özak!
Professor Sposi gave a luncheon presentation to the D/FW chapter of the National Association for Business Economics about trade deficits and the effects of tariffs.
Summary: Two fundamental principles from national income accounting. First, a country’s trade deficit, defined to be its imports minus its exports, is the same as the country’s income minus its spending, which means fiscal policy (part of spending) cannot be ignored. Second, a country’s deficit also equals its investment minus its saving, which means that international finance (foreign borrowing, FDI) cannot be ignored either. When it comes to bilateral deficits, it is imperative to consider value-added measures of trade, in addition to traditional gross measures, to account for global supply chain linkages.
Link to the presentation slides below:
https://bpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/people.smu.edu/dist/b/1355/files/2025/04/Sposi-Slides-20250428.pdf
The Economics Department’s 2025 Mangum Family Teaching Award goes to Dr. Hao Dong!
Dr. Dong is an econometrician researching the nonparametric and semiparametric methods. An accomplished econometrician, Dr. Dong has taught some of our most technically challenging courses offered by the department. His dedication to students is appreciated by the department and cherished by his students!
On April 22, 2025, the Economics Department recognized our amazing undergraduate and graduate students for being in inducted in to the SMU Chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon (ODE). Over twenty-four students were recognized for their outstanding achievements in Economics as well as excellence in overall scholastic attainment.
Additionally we acknowledged and awarded four amazing students for being the ultimate overachievers among their peers in the department. We are honored to have such amazing students willing to go over and beyond for others.
SMU Giving Day happens once a year, and is a great way to show your love for the Department of Economics! Click the link and scroll to the Economics Department tile to generously support our work.
https://givingday.smu.edu/pages/academic-programs
SMU Faculty and PhD students attended the 2025 Texas Camp Econometrics on February 22nd and 23rd at Canyon of the Eagles near Austin. The conference is a mix of theory and applied work in both macro and microeconomics. Assistant Professors Alipio Ferreria and Wookun Kim, and PhD student Shuo Qi presented their research. The conference was attended by faculty and students from UT, A&M, Rice, Houston, Dallas Fed and Stata Corp.
SMU Economics professor Dr. Beth Wheaton-Páramo leads the SMU Human Trafficking Data Research (HTDR) Project Team (www.smu.edu/htdr) and participates in other anti-human trafficking activities, such as acting as judge for Eagle Venture Fund’s Global Pitch Competition.
Click here to see the related research and publications.
The Guild of Marshals at Southern Methodist University presented the Chief Marshal Award to Chief Marshal Emeritus Tom Fomby, Professor of Economics, at the December 2024 Marshal’s Luncheon. The award recognizes Prof. Fomby’s outstanding and dedicated service as Chief Marshal of Southern Methodist University for 12 years, from 2009 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2023. Thank you, Tom. You will be missed!
