UK WEN Inspirational Talk for Future Economists at UCL

A UK WEN Inspire event took place on 25 February at University College London, bringing together undergraduate and postgraduate students studying economics for an afternoon of discussion and reflection on career pathways within the discipline.

The event was opened by Hyejin Ku, Associate Professor in the Department of Economics at UCL, who welcomed participants and introduced the keynote speaker, Swati Dhingra. She highlighted Dr Dhingra’s work across academia and policymaking and set the stage for the discussion that followed.

Maria Psyllou, Senior Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London and a Steering Committee member and Inspire Initiative Lead of the UK Women in Economics Network, then briefly presented the work of the network and the goals of the Inspire initiative in supporting and encouraging students from underrepresented groups to pursue and remain in economics.

The keynote talk was delivered by Swati Dhingra, Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and Political Science and an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England.

In her talk, Dr Dhingra shared reflections on her personal and professional journey in economics, discussing the motivations and experiences that shaped her career across academia and public policy. She spoke about her early interest in understanding economic inequality and development, and how this led her to pursue economics as a field of study. Throughout the talk, she highlighted the important role economists can play in informing public debates and policymaking.

A central theme of her discussion was the importance of diversity and representation within the economics profession. Dr Dhingra emphasised that the perspectives brought by individuals from different backgrounds influence the questions economists ask and the issues that receive attention in research and policy discussions. Increasing diversity within the discipline, she noted, is therefore essential not only for equity but also for strengthening the quality and relevance of economic analysis.

Drawing on her experience both as an academic economist and as a policymaker, Dr Dhingra also provided insight into the relationship between economic research and real-world policy decisions. Reflecting on her role on the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England, she discussed how economic evidence and analysis contribute to the formulation of national monetary policy and the responsibilities involved in participating in such decision-making processes.

The keynote was followed by a lively Q&A session hosted by Grace Wu, President of the Economists’ Society UCL. Grace chaired the discussion with thoughtful and engaging questions that encouraged further reflection on the themes raised during the talk. The audience was highly engaged throughout the session, with students asking a lot of detailed and insightful questions, particularly about Dr Dhingra’s work on the Monetary Policy Committee and the broader role economists play in shaping economic policy.

The event concluded with summary and closing remarks from Dunli Li, Associate Professor (Teaching) at UCL. In her concluding reflections, Dunli Li highlighted several key messages from the session, including the importance of perseverance, intellectual curiosity, and openness to different career pathways within economics. She also emphasised the value of hearing directly from economists working at the intersection of research and policy, noting that such engagement can help students better understand the real-world impact of economic analysis.

Following the formal talks, participants continued their discussions during a networking reception with refreshments, providing an opportunity for students to connect with peers, engage further with the speakers and organisers, and reflect on the insights shared during the event.

The event was open to undergraduate and postgraduate economics students at University College London and was sponsored by the UCL Department of Economics. It was organised in collaboration with the Royal Economic Society UK Women in Economics Network and the UCL Economists’ Society.

Event organisers: Dunli Li (UCL), Hyejin Ku (UCL), Maria Psyllou (Imperial College London and UK WEN), and the Economists’ Society (UCL).