The Future of Trade: Technology, Geography, and Economic Adjustment with WTO Chief Economist, Robert Koopman - SOLD OUT

Recent debate over trade policy in the US and elsewhere has raised questions about the role of trade in economic growth and development. But how does one sort out the factors driving change and where does trade stand among these factors? Economic exchange and technological change has driven global growth for millennia but even among fast growing countries some regions do better than others. Join the World Affairs Council of Maine and Chief Economist of the WTO, Robert Koopman, as we explore what might this mean for the future of trade.

5:30pm: Reception with beer, wine, and light appetizers

6:15pm: Program begins

7:00pm: Q + A

A very special thanks to Verrill Dana for hosting this event of the World Affairs Council of Maine.

About the speaker

Robert B. Koopman serves as the Chief Economist and Director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division at the World Trade Organization. In this post Bob provides the Secretariat and Member Countries with analysis and information that promotes a deeper understanding of trade and trade policy's role in economic growth and development.

Prior to this post he served as the Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer for the United States International Trade Commission. Bob oversaw the Commission’s trade policy research and negotiation assistance to the President, the U.S. Trade Representative, and Congress; antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard; investigations; intellectual property investigations; maintenance and analysis of the Harmonized Tariff System, as well as the agency’s strategic planning and performance measurement initiatives. He also previously served as the Chief Economist and Director of the USITC Office of Economics, and numerous leadership and research positions at the Economic Research Service of USDA.

Bob previously taught international trade, applied international trade, advanced international trade, and trade and economic development in the Economics Department at Georgetown University, in Washington DC. Bob‘s research interests include measuring the economic effects of trade and trade policy changes, measuring global value chains, and the application and validation of large scale economic simulation models. Bob also currently serves as an ex officio member of the World Trade Review Editorial Board, and serves as an editor for the Springer Series Advances in Applied General Equilibrium Modeling, with James Giesecke and Peter Dixon.