Dr. David E. Card presented the Mackintosh lecture last week in Stirling Hall.
Dr. Sumon Majumdar, head, Queen's Economics Department, welcomes Dr. Card to Queen's.
Student Daniel Heo chats with Dr. Card.
Student Michael Chapman chats with Dr. Card.
FAS Interim Dean Robert Lemieux offers a few words at the lecture.
FAS welcomes Nobel Laureate
It was standing room only as the Faculty of Arts and Science and the Queen’s Economics Department welcomed Dr. David E. Card, a labour economist, best known for his research on minimum wages, immigration, education, and inequality.
He was the co-recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics in 2021and was invited to Queen’s to present the annual 2024 W.A. Mackintosh Lecture. Dr. Card presented the lecture on “Cause and Effect and Evidence-based Policies.”
W. A. Mackintosh was Principal of the University and an economist whose writings had significant impact on the development of economics and of economic policy in postwar Canada. Over the years, the lecture has featured eminent researchers in economics from across the globe, including Nobel laureates, World Bank Chief Economists as well as Presidents of the Canadian, American and European Economics Associations.
Geared towards students, faculty, and community members, the lecture usually addresses economics issues of significance for a broad swath of society. The inaugural lecture was delivered in 1975.
Originally pursuing a degree in physics before switching to economics, Dr. Card earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen's University in 1978.
“I was back a few years ago for Charles Beach’s retirement,” Dr. Card said when asked about the last time he was on the Queen’s campus. Dr. Beach is now an emeritus professor in the Queen’s Economics Department, and along with Professor Michael Abbott was influential in Dr. Card’s further journey in economics.
The lecture was engaging, delving into ways of measuring accurately the impact of important economic and social policies based on evidence rather than on pre-conceived notions of cause and effect. After the lecture, Dr. Card spent time speaking with students, eager to discuss his work with him.
“One person, that asked a question, went to my high school which was special,” he said with a smile.
While in Kingston, Dr. Card gave another lecture in the economics department, took time to meet with faculty and graduate students in the department, and reconnected with his former roommate and longtime friend over the weekend.