How Will the American Economics Association Adapt to Climate Change?

Roughly 15,000+ economists are trying to get to Philadelphia today for the annual ASSA meetings.   In a typical year, I greatly enjoy the meetings.  It is a place to see old friends, mentors, past students, co-authors and to attend sessions, meet with book editors and talk about economics.  This is a special year for USC Economics this year because we will hire 3 new PHDs to join our faculty.  As we upgrade our department, we need “new blood”.  We will be interviewing 50 people. 

The challenge we face is that the ASSA meetings take place in the first week of January and they typically rotate between Boston, Chicago, Philly (and warmer cities including Atlanta, Washington Dc and San Diego).  The cold winter cities offer cheap hotels and decent airports but as the winters grow harsher there is rising discontent with bringing thousands of us into “harm’s way”.

UCLA has moved all of its interviews over to Skype. I think this is brilliant.  What is lost by not having face to face contact for a 25 minute interview? My hunch is nothing.  So, the Economists will adapt by either moving the timing of the conference, the city or an unraveling of the conference as more of the participates who are mainly there for interviewing Skype in.