ECU hosts renowned guests to speak on environmental uncertainties, disaster preparedness
Dr. Howard Kunreuther (Contributed photo)
East Carolina University will welcome 11 economists and policy researchers to campus for the Troxler Economics Symposium from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 8 in Murphy Center’s Harvey Hall. The symposium is hosted by the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Department of Economics.
Dr. Howard Kunreuther, James G. Dinan professor emeritus of the operations, information and decisions department at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, will present the keynote address on “Improving Disaster Preparedness.”
Kunreuther, who also served as co-director of the Wharton Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, has a long-standing interest in ways that society can better manage low-probability, high-consequence events related to technological and natural hazards.
He served on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body that assesses science related to climate change, as a coordinating lead author for the chapter on “Integrated Risk and Uncertainty Assessment of Climate Change Response Policies” in the 2014 IPCC report.
In 2015, Kunreuther received the Shin Research Excellence Award from the Geneva Association and the International Insurance Society in recognition of his outstanding work on the role of public-private partnerships in mitigating and managing risks. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Risk Analysis.
His recent books include “The Ostrich Paradox: Why We Underprepare for Disasters” (with Robert Meyer), “Insurance and Behavioral Economics: Improving Decisions in the Most Misunderstood Industry” (with Mark Pauly and Stacey McMorrow) and “At War with the Weather” (with Erwann Michel-Kerjan).
In addition to Kunreuther’s keynote address, the symposium will include a morning panel session featuring four researchers who will discuss the theoretical development of risks in economics – both natural risks and financial risks. Two afternoon sessions, featuring six economic experts, will include discussions on policy reform and implementation associated with risks in economics, and the interface between research and policy.
The symposium is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Contact Nicholas Duncan to RSVP at duncann17@ecu.edu or 252-328-5718. Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act should call 252-737-1016 (Voice/TTY) at least 48 hours prior to the event.
-by Lacey L. Gray, University Communications