A Nobel Prize-winning economist and expert on inequality is the first of many exceptional American scholars who will visit UBC, thanks to a $3-million donation from alumnus and long-time supporter Phil Lind.
Joseph Stiglitz, the renowned economist, professor and author, will be at UBC in September and November as part of the new Lind Initiative in U.S. Studies. This program, led by the Liu Institute for Global Issues, will bring prominent academics to UBC to conduct research and share ideas with students, faculty and the wider community.
“I’m honoured to establish this initiative,” said Lind, vice-chairman of Rogers Communications Inc. “It will attract outstanding American scholars whose work contributes to practical solutions in critical fields that impact Canada-U.S. relations.”
Other speakers who will visit UBC this fall as part of the Lind Initiative include:
- Jill Abramson – former executive editor of the New York Times;
- Andrew Sullivan – journalist and publisher of The Dish
- Teju Cole – author of Open City and Every Day is for the Thief
Stiglitz, a Columbia University professor and former chief economist at the World Bank, has written and spoken extensively about inequality. During his UBC visits, he will participate in classes and events with various UBC groups, including the Liu Institute, the Department of Political Science, the Vancouver School of Economics, the Sauder School of Business and the Peter A. Allard School of Law.
His keynote address on November 20, “The Great Divide: The causes and consequences of inequality and what we can do about it,” will be open to the public.
“I look forward to contributing to a city-wide dialogue on inequality during my visit to UBC,” said Stiglitz. “The Lind Initiative is helping foster discussion and debate on one of the defining economic issues of our time.”
Lind, who also endowed the Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation in 2002, has deep UBC ties. He graduated from UBC with a BA in political science, and received an honorary degree from the university in 2002. He is currently the campaign co-chair for start an evolution, the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign in Canadian history.
“We’re grateful for Phil’s generous support and dedication to UBC,” said Martha Piper, interim president. “The Lind Initiative will provide outstanding learning experiences for our students and members of the community, and contribute greatly to our understanding of global citizenship.”
For more details on the Lind Initiative and Joseph Stiglitz’s visit to UBC, please visit lindinitiative.ubc.ca
Note to editors: Joseph Stiglitz will have limited media availability on Thursday, Sept. 24 and Friday, Sept. 25. Please contact Julie Wagemakers on Wednesday, Sept. 23, to request interviews: 604-822-4288 or julie.wagemakers@ubc.ca