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BMO Public Lecture Series

The BMO Public Lecture series is an annual event that is hosted by SFU's Department of Economics in partnership with  and the generous sponsorship of . Lectures are presented by some of the top minds and scholars in economics, with the aim of engaging the general public on issues that pertain to economics but have a direct impact on their daily lives.

2025 BMO Public Lecture

Economic and Social Well-being of Indigenous Children: Insights from Recent Research

Event postponed

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances, the lecture will be postponed. We hope you can join us once the new date has been scheduled. Stay tuned for more information.

Abstract 

How does poverty affect the long-run outcomes for Indigenous children? How can changes in household conditions affect various dimensions of well-being? In this talk, Randall Akee, UCLA professor of Public Policy and American Indian Studies will share an broad overview of recent research that seeks to answer these questions. The research focused on American Indian and other Indigenous Peoples children using a combination of administrative and survey-based data.   

Dr. Akee will also examine how intergenerational mobility differs for American Indians and other groups in the U.S and summarize some data on differences in mortality for First Nations’ children and that of non-natives in Canada. 

SPEAKER

 is a Professor in the Department of Public Policy and American Indian Studies at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles). Dr. Akee completed his doctorate at Harvard University in June 2006, is an applied microeconomist, and has worked in the areas of Labor Economics, Economic Development and Migration. He spent several years working for the State of Hawaii Office of Hawaiian Affairs Economic Development Division. Previously, he served as a David M. Rubenstein Fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution and has served on the University of California Office of the President’s Native American Advisory Council.

Dr. Akee also served on the National Advisory Council on Race, Ethnic, and Other Populations at the US Census Bureau. For the year 2022-2023, Dr. Akee served as a Senior Economist in the Council of Economic Advisers in the Office of the White House working on Labor and Social Inclusion topics. Dr. Akee also conducted work for the US Census Bureau focusing on the Statistical Products First initiative. Currently, Dr. Akee is a faculty research fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in Labor Studies and the Children’s Groups.

The event is free but  is required. 

Past Lectures

  • 2022    Philip Oreopoulos (University of Toronto)      
  • 2020    Janet Currie (Princeton)
  • 2019    Nava Ashraf (LSE)
  • 2018     (Stanford)
  • 2017     (Harvard)
  • 2016     (Harvard)
  • 2015     (Harvard, )
  • 2014     (Chapman University, )
  • 2013     (University College London)
  • 2013     (Berkeley Haas)
  • 2012     (President, St Louis Federal Reserve Bank)
  • 2010     (MIT, )
  • 2009     (MIT, )
  • 2008    (Washington University, St Louis)