We invite you to a FAIR Onlin Seminar with Raj Chetty. Chetty is the William A. Ackman Professor of Economics at Harvard University and the Director of Opportunity Insights, which uses big data to study the science of economic opportunity: how we can give children from all backgrounds better chances of succeeding?
Title: The Science of Economic Opportunity: Insights from Combining Experimental and Observational Data
Abstract: How can we improve opportunities for upward economic mobility? This talk will present findings from a recent set of studies at Opportunity Insights that use various sources of big data -- ranging from anonymized tax records to social network data -- to understand the science of economic opportunity. The talk will discuss how and why children’s chances of climbing the income ladder have changed over time, focusing on the causal effects of cross-class interaction on upward mobility. Methodologically, the talk will focus on how new insights can be obtained by combining experimental and large-scale observational data, revisiting canonical debates about whether observational estimates can reliably reproduce experimental results. The talk will conclude by discussing promising policy interventions -- from affordable housing to job training programs -- to expand opportunities.