March 17, 2023. This year marks the 9th Global Economic Symposium and the continued expansion of both our mission and participating network of schools. A special thank you to this year’s event sponsor, EF Tours, for hosting the competition at their Cambridge location, and to our travel sponsor, the Royal Sonesta Hotel, for providing accommodations for our traveling teams.
For the first time, we welcomed schools from across the country to an in-person three-day event focused on economics and STEM education. On Friday, March 17th, teams of high school and middle school students from Brockton, Chicago, New Orleans, New York City, Dallas, and the District of Columbia presented on a global economic challenge / problem and their economic / STEM solution to these challenges.
Topics ranged from inflation to air pollution and the global water crisis. As with previous years, students were required to compile extensive research, demonstrating a clear understanding of their subject topic, and present a solution based on their understanding of both economics and various industries / technology. Students presented both orally, with a dedicated Q&A session, and in a poster session to judges from Bentley University, Tufts University, Eastern Bank, WGBH, Bank Five, Northeastern University, Bridgewater State University and Northshore Community College.
This year was also the first our Symposium was covered by a major news network, with reporter and anchor, Courtney Cole, from CBS News serving as our moderator. We encourage everyone to watch her report featuring moments from the main event day. We were also grateful to our keynote speaker Chanda Smart, CEO of Onyx Development, for an incredible and inspirational speech.
For the final day of our event; students and teachers had the incredible opportunity to meet and engage with the President for the Boston Museum of Science, Tim Ritchie — who spoke about the impacts and trajectory for technology and science in the 21st century. We were graciously offered free admission to all exhibits and a showing at the Mugar Omni Theater. We concluded the weekend and day with a series of educational and networking breakout rooms hosted by sponsors and partners from Eastern Bank, Lincoln Labs/MIT and the Northeastern School of Engineering.
We are grateful to all of our sponsors and partners for their continued support of our mission —to further economic, financial and STEM learning amongst children and young adults. And to our many educators, volunteers, mentors and families who help us foster the next generation of leaders and innovative thinkers.