Women in Economics: Symposium and Podcast Series

Women in Economics Symposium

Are you majoring in economics or know someone who is? Join us at the St. Louis Fed’s annual Women in Economics Symposium. You will hear from exciting role models with fascinating careers in economics while also learning some practical tips about job searching and more.

Our 2025 symposium will be held Thursday, March 27, and feature keynote speakers Cecilia Rouse, president of the Brookings Institution, and Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda.

Register now to attend in person or virtually.

History of the Women in Economics Symposium

This annual symposium began in 2018 at the St. Louis Fed, along with the Women in Economics Podcast Series. This initiative is designed to connect young women with accomplished women in the economics profession who share the story of their career journey—helping inspire women who wonder if economics is a profession they should (and actually could) pursue.

The St. Louis Fed continues to encourage women and underrepresented minorities to pursue economics.

• Watch videos from the 2024 event, which featured Federal Reserve Board Governor Adriana Kugler as the keynote speaker and Oksana Leukhina, economic policy advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The symposium hosted roughly 2,000 attendees in person and virtually via watch parties around the country. Speakers and panelists shared information on the current state of diversity in economics, the value of using personal experience to inform research questions and the variety of career paths one can take with an economics degree.

• Watch videos from the 2023 event, held in person for the first time since 2019, which featured Stephanie Aaronson, Ph.D., senior associate director of the Division of Research and Statistics at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and Daryl Fairweather, Ph.D., chief economist at Redfin. Attendees learned about developing mentor relationships throughout their careers. Attendees also received important career advice about everything from what to do with their degree to how to use game theory to negotiate higher pay.

• Watch videos from the 2022 event, which featured Betsey Stevenson, Tisha Emerson, Kristen Broady, Marie Mora, and Stacey Vanek Smith. Attendees learned there is an increased need for a diverse group of economists to provide different perspectives as they research important pandemic-related issues (labor shortages, inflation and economic inequality, to name a few).
• Watch videos from the 2021 event, held virtually, which featured Lisa D. Cook, Brigitte Madrian, Marie T. Mora, Nancy Rose and Abigail Wozniak. Attendees learned how economists can help save the environment; reduce income inequality; improve healthcare outcomes; help people make better decisions; and reduce the severity of economic recessions.
• The 2020 event, held in Cleveland, featured Julianne Malveaux and Lisa Cook.
• Watch videos from the 2019 event, held in St. Louis, which featured Loretta Mester, Amanda Bayer, and Kate Warne. Mester presented “Increasing Diversity, Inclusion, and Opportunity in Economics: Perspectives of a Brown-Eyed Economist.”
• Watch videos from the 2018 event, held in St. Louis, including Mary Daly's presentation “21st Century Economics: The Importance of You.”