2026
The Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) is a semi-annual academic conference and journal that pairs rigorous research with policy analysis to address urgent economic challenges of the day. The Fall 2026 BPEA Conference was held September 24-25, 2026 by the Brookings Economic Studies program. The conference proceedings were made available via livestream to anyone who wished to observe the vanguard of economic thought around global economic issues. (Submit a proposal for future conferences >)
Mark your calendar: Spring 2027 conference will be held March 25-26, 2027; and Fall 2027 conference on September 23-24, 2027.
BPEA Fall Conference Day 1
BPEA Fall 2026 Conference Day 2
Agenda
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September 24
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DAY ONE: Thursday, September 24
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From Importer to Exporter: Oil Shocks and the US Economy
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
The conference draft is also distributed with a summary at this page, where the published version of the paper and supplemental material will be available.
Authors
Diego Känzig Assistant Professor of Economics - Northwestern University
Luca Zanotti Ph.D. Candidate - Northwestern UniversityDiscussants
Christiane Baumeister Lambert Family Professor of Economics - University of Notre Dame
Johannes Wieland Professor of Economics and Distinguished Endowed Chair in Macroeconomics and Public Finance - University of California, San Diego -
Crime in COVID Times
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
The conference draft is also distributed with a summary at this page, where the published version of the paper and supplemental material will be available.
Author
Jens Ludwig Nonresident Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Center for Economic Security and OpportunityDiscussants
Marcella Alsan Annie and Ned Lamont Professor of International Studies - Stanford University
Felipe Goncalves Assistant Professor of Economics - University of California, Los Angeles -
How Did the Post-Pandemic Migration Surge Affect Labor and Housing Markets?
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
The conference draft is also distributed with a summary at this page, where the published version of the paper and supplemental material will be available.
Authors
Jennifer Hunt Professor of Economics - Rutgers University
Pia Orrenius Vice President - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
Madeline Zavodny Donna L. Gibbs and First Coast Systems Professor of Economics - University of North Florida -
DAY TWO: Friday, September 25
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September 25
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Panel on AI and Policy
9:00 am - 10:15 am
Why Is AI So Contentious?
Authors: Martin Beraja (University of California, Berkeley) and Noam Yuchtman (London School of Economics)The Vanishing Advantage of Specialization: AI, Knowledge Utilization, and the Boundary of the Firm
Author: Luis Garicano (London School of Economics)Financing the AI Buildout
Author: Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh (Columbia University)Authors
Martin Beraja Associate Professor of Economic Analysis & Policy - University of California, Berkeley @martinberaja
Luis Garicano Professor of Public Policy - London School of Economics
Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh Earl Kazis and Benjamin Schore Professor of Real Estate - Columbia Business School @SVNieuwerburgh -
Demand-Driven Inflation
10:30 am - 11:45 am
The conference draft is also distributed with a summary at this page, where the published version of the paper and supplemental material will be available.
Authors
Domenico Giannone Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Economics and Statistics - Johns Hopkins University @domenicogiannonDiscussants
Gauti Eggertsson Dupee Family Professor of Economics - Brown University
Karel Mertens Senior Vice President and Director of Research - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas -
Economics of Demand-Side and Supply-Side Climate Policies
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
The conference draft is also distributed with a summary at this page, where the published version of the paper and supplemental material will be available.
Author
Ryan Kellogg Ralph and Mary Otis Isham Professor and Deputy Dean - University of ChicagoDiscussants
Andrés Rodríguez-Clare Edward G. and Nancy S. Jordan Professor of Economics - University of California, Berkeley
Catherine Wolfram Nonresident Senior Fellow - Center on Regulation and Markets
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