How it works
About the colloquium
The colloquium runs on two tracks. The speaker track brings economists, policy researchers, and working professionals to campus for 60- to 90-minute sessions structured around student questions. The research track guides members through a ten-week policy brief process, ending in a presentation to outside economists and Boston policymakers.
The two tracks are designed to work together: speaker sessions give students the grounding to write better briefs, and the brief process gives students more pointed questions to ask guests.
The colloquium is coordinated each year by a team of board members. If you have a speaker to suggest, contact the board.
Spring 2026
Research Symposium
AES is hosting its inaugural student research symposium this spring. Members will present original economic research to a panel that includes outside guests.
Contact the board →2025–2026
This year's sessions
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Oct 182025Guest speaker
Andrew Mikula — Pioneer Institute
Mikula discussed his work in housing economics and zoning policy, with a focus on Greater Boston. He also introduced students to the structure of a policy brief and the difference between academic economics writing and policy writing for a general audience. The session ran virtually, 6–7 pm.
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Oct 292025Guest speaker
Grant Farrington — Boston Municipal Research Bureau
Farrington presented on fiscal policy and the Boston municipal budget. His work complements Mikula's housing focus with a closer look at tax policy and government finance. The session was held in person. Students used the Q&A to workshop early policy brief topics.
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Dec 42025Guest feedback session
Policy brief presentations — with Andrew Mikula
Students presented their fall-term policy briefs to Mikula in a feedback session. Briefs covered a range of local and regional economic topics. The strongest work was identified for possible publication on the AES website or continuation into the spring journal.
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Spring2026Symposium
Inaugural AES Research Symposium
AES's first formal student research event. Members who developed work during the fall policy brief track or independently will present to an outside panel. Date and details to be confirmed with the board.
Curriculum
Fall 2025 meeting topics
In addition to the speaker sessions, AES ran a curriculum of student-led presentations this fall. Topics covered scarcity and prices, opportunity cost, cost-benefit analysis, game theory, intellectual property, and trade and globalization. Each session was prepared and led by a board member.
Konnor
Scarcity and prices
Price signals, rationing, and the economics of shortage. Includes a discussion of price gouging.
Bella & Pia
Opportunity cost
The real cost of every choice. Why economists think in terms of what you give up, not what you spend.
Andrew
Cost-benefit analysis
How to evaluate a policy or decision when the costs and benefits are uncertain or distributed unevenly.
Anna
Game theory
Strategic decision-making, Nash equilibria, and why rational actors sometimes produce bad collective outcomes.
Kachi
Intellectual property
Patents, copyrights, and the economic argument for and against IP protection. What happens at the margins.
Henry
Trade and globalization
Comparative advantage, protectionism, and the distributional effects of open trade. Includes a discussion of current tariff policy.