Like all scientists, economists love taking advantage of natural experiments to test a hypothesis. The varying governmental responses to the COVID-19 pandemic offers numerous such natural experiments to assess the impact these policies have had on public health, economies, education and more. But as is common to the study of public policy issues, it is more complicated than it may appear.
Join us to hear from two university economists from Michigan, Dave Hebert and Michael Makovi, who have conducted their own research on the effectiveness of lockdown policies. They will explain their findings, but also the considerations that must go into complex research questions such as these. Joseph Lehman, president of the Mackinac Center, will provide opening remarks.
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT
Online virtual program
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Dave Hebert is associate professor of economics and director of the Center for Markets, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. A member of the Mackinac Center's Board of Scholars, he completed his undergraduate studies at Hillsdale College before earning a Ph.D. from George Mason University.
Michael Makovi is an assistant professor of economics at Northwood University in Midland, Mich. His research interests include applied econometrics, urban economics, public economics and constitutional political economy. He obtained his Ph.D. from Texas Tech University.
An engineer by training, Joseph G. Lehman joined the Mackinac Center in 1995 and was named president in 2008. During his tenure Michigan has seen numerous free-market policy advances in education, labor and state fiscal affairs. Frequently published in national and state media, Lehman also has trained more than 600 public policy executives internationally on strategic leadership and communications. He and his wife are founders of Midland County Habitat for Humanity.
