Tuesday, January 23, 2019

Featured speaker:
Alan V. Deardorff
John W. Sweetland Professor of International Economics and Professor of Public Policy

Anderson House Office Bldg, Mackinac Room, 5th Floor
124 N. Capitol Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Alan V. Deardorff, John W. Sweetland Professor of International Economics; Professor of Public Policy

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President Donald Trump has tackled international trade policy during his second year in of office, just as he promised he would during his 2016 election campaign. Tariffs on steel and aluminum from various countries, exports from China, and potentially on automobiles and supply chains are having an effect – including the likelihood that consumers at home will see rising prices in the months and years to come. Renegotiated trade agreements made with South Korea, Mexico, and Canada will also change trade outcomes and could in influence corporate decision making in the manufacturing of goods and products. Please join us for an enlightening presentation by Professor Alan Deardorff who will explore these and other changes taking place in trade policy, and their likely implications for Michigan, the United States, and the world!

Alan V. Deardorff is the John W. Sweetland Professor of International Economics and Professor of Public Policy. His research focuses on international trade. Dr. Deardorff and Bob Stern have developed the Michigan Model of World Production and Trade, which is used to estimate the effects of trade agreements. He is also doing theoretical work in international trade and trade policy. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Labor, State, and Treasury and to international organizations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Bank. Dr. Deardorff received his Ph.D. from Cornell University.

Dylan Smith, PhD in applied physics, gives candy to The Incredible Hulk

On October 30^th, UM State Outreach provided a ‘trunk’ for the American Indian Health & Family Services (AIHFS) ‘Trunk or Treat’ event in Detroit. UM staff, Dana Sitzler and Steve Erskine, UM students Dylan Smith and Gabby May and EMU students Alex Ford and Tom Klemm participated in the family oriented evening. There was a bouncy house, games and face painting followed by the key attraction, trick or treating at the decorated vehicles in the parking lot for healthy treats. There was a car decorated with a circus theme, Peter Rabbit in his garden gave out carrots, and of course the UM vehicle where a ‘go blue’ was sure to get a goody.

The university has an on-going relationship with AIHFS through the state outreach office and its work with the Tribal Health Directors consortium. University of Michigan students have served as interns and volunteers for the organization for many years. American Indian Health & Family Services is a non-profit health center whose mission is to empower and enhance the physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being of American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, families and other underserved populations in southeast Michigan through culturally grounded health and family services.

From left to right: Lingzi Liu, Adam Arend, Kaitlin Vapenik, Nancy Ye

The University of Michigan was well represented at the Freshwater Summit held in Traverse City on October 26th. The Freshwater Summit is an annual conference of environmental professionals and engaged citizens focusing on current issues facing the Great Lakes region. The event is the product of the Freshwater Roundtable organized by The Watershed Center, Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Michigan Sea Grant Extension, Great Lakes Environmental Center, Inland Seas Education Association, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management and Grand Traverse Conservation District.

Richard Norton, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning and the Program in the Environment, gave a presentation entitled, “Planning to be a Resilient Great Lakes Community”. He focused not only on factors like climate change and economic sustainability but also on the legal framework that governs coastal communities giving the audience an overview of the dynamics that come into play when thinking about and planning for resiliency.

Dick Norton, Professor of Urban & Regional Planning and the Program in the Environment

The program also included a presentation by UM students Adam Arend, Environmental Policy graduate student; Kangyu Yu, Landscape Architecture graduate student; Nancy Ye, School for Environment and Sustainability graduate student; Kaitlin Vapenik, Environmental Informatics graduate student; and Lingzi Liu, Landscape Architecture graduate student. Their presentation titled, “Blue Communities Vison for Grand Traverse Bay” reported on their investigations focused on public trust, water stewardship, shared visioning and how to build capacity in the region.

U.S. Senator Gary Peters provided an overview and update on federal initiatives relevant to the Great Lakes and took questions from the audience related to the local impact of these programs. Other speakers focused on understanding the factors impacting historical and future changes in great lakes water levels and documenting the economic impacts of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative led by the Great Lakes Commission. The day also included updates on various local initiatives such as the Boardman River dam removal and the research work in progress to support the implementation of the proposed FishPass, as well as an opportunity for Northwestern Michigan college students to share their internship experiences with community engagement in water management. Overall the day provided the ‘big picture’ view of the great lakes system but also highlighted local Grand Traverse Bay projects that in their own way impact the whole in terms of data collection, restoration or important collaborative efforts.