All About Elizabeth...

Now that the Regional Studies Association's Winter Conference is out of the way we thought it would be a good idea to tell everyone a little more about another member of the RSA staff team. Following the post about Auréliane, up next is Elizabeth Mitchell, our Conference and Membership Officer, who graciously responded to the RSA blog squad's probing questions. At this point, we should tell you that Elizabeth's employment at the RSA has coincided with our highest ever membership figure. Coincidence? We think not (though we're sure it's a team effort!).

What is your role at the RSA?

My role in the RSA is concerned with the project management of conferences, and the membership base.  I also have a PA role to Sally (our Chief Executive) when needed, and much else besides! I am certainly never bored at the RSA!

How long have you worked for the RSA?

15 months.

Where do you come from?

I have lived in East Sussex the majority of my life, between my home town of Hailsham, Brighton and Eastbourne, where I currently live. I have lived in London, but could not bear being away from the sea and wide open spaces of the Sussex Downs. 

What did you do before you worked for the RSA?

I worked as a Catering Manager for firstly Compass Group UK & Ireland, and then Brighton University.

What is the best thing about your job at the RSA?

The variety of my work often means that no two days are ever the same.  I can genuinely say that I vastly enjoy coming to work, and the team I work with are great – very hard working and always willing to share information and help where necessary.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Managing the different projects currently in progress, and keeping up with developments and growth within the Association.

Tell us something about you that we don't know...

Well, nothing really out of the ordinary for me, but my husband’s Great Great (I think) Grandfather was the founder of the Salvation Army!

What do you do for fun when you're not working?

I try and go to the gym at least 2 times a week, I read a great deal – I particularly enjoy historical fact and fiction, I play poker on line and with friends, and spend time with my family and friends – often down the pub! [N.B. The RSA blog squad have since learned that Elizabeth is an expert Scrabble player!]

Is there such a thing as a 'typical' day in your job?

My day varies a great deal, depending on which event I am working on, whether I am concentrating on membership, or completing a task for Sally, the variety of my work load ensures that there never really is a ‘typical’ day.

If you could have an RSA conference anywhere, where would it be?

Australia, as I have never been there!

If you could invite up to four famous individuals (from the past or present, e.g. Elvis, Marx, Gandhi) to a dinner party, who would you choose (you'd have to make them join the RSA first of course)?

Anya Seyton (one of my favourite authors), Kurt Cobain & Shannon Hoon (two of my favourite singers, and most talented song writers ever) and just to keep the party ‘alive’, my best friend to help share the wine!

Finally, since the RSA is an international organisation, would you mind telling us which languages you speak?

English only I am afraid.  I used to speak perfect German (my only A grade at G.C.S.E) when at school, but unfortunately never carried it on after I left. I have always wanted to learn Spanish, so maybe one day I will!

That's all from Elizabeth today. Be sure to say hello (or Guten Tag / ¿qué tal?) next time you see Elizabeth at an RSA event. There will be more from the RSA staff team in future...

Projected government debt: debt curses and assumptions

Talk of government debt is now everywhere thanks to the ever evolving Eurozone crisis. So we thought that it might be interesting to have a look at some interesting debt dynamics.

Taking a step back from the Eurozone crisis things aren't so rosy with the rest of the industrialised world either. The World Competitiveness Center of Swiss business school IMD has produced a new study that highlights how 'old' industrialised nations will suffer from a 'debt curse' that could last a lot longer then many people think. They define 'bearable' public debt as 60% or less of GDP and have then estimated how long it will take a number of industrialised nations to achieve this target (based on the sunny assumptions that they can devote 1% of GDP to the repayment of debt, reduce their budget deficits to reach equilibrium by 2015 and that by 2015 each nation resumes an average GDP rate equivalent to that from 2000 to 2009). Based on these assumptions the 10 nations with the longest time horizons for escaping the 'debt curse' are: Japan (2084), Italy (2060), Portugal (2037), Belgium (2035), U.S. (2033), Iceland (2032), Greece (2031), France (2029), Germany (2028) and U.K. (2028).

So what makes up government debt? As the Economist explains it "There are two things that matter in government-debt dynamics. The difference between real interest rates and GDP growth (r-g), and the primary budget balance as a % of GDP (ie, before interest payments). In any given period the debt stock grows by the existing debt stock (d) multiplied by r-g, less the primary budget balance (p)."

Not a macro-economist? Don't want to do all those calculations yourself? Don't worry! Thankfully they have also made things easier for us with their interactive debt dynamics calculator that plots general government debt as a percentage of GDP based on current IMF projections. The interactive part comes in with an option to select what countries you want to look at and to alter the basic economic assumptions that have gone into the IMF forecasts. By playing around with inflation or interest rates you can see just how good or bad things could get. Click on 'show user forecast' and give it a try and see where things might be headed....

Regional Studies at UCLA

A short post today on a particularly exciting development for the Regional Studies Association... The RSA have opened a new project office at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). The UCLA RSA team will be led by Professor Lois Takahashi from the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies - the team members are Dr Beth Tamayose and Taner Osman. The press release can be seen below. Click on it for further information...

The new Office expands on the RSA’s long-standing ability to support the work of students, early career researchers, academics and practitioners in advancing the field of regional studies and regional science and in connecting evidence-based research to policy and practice. “The fast growing number of members, the geographical spread and the interdisciplinary of the fields covered under the umbrella of regional studies, has encouraged RSA  to commit important resources in this project and to embark upon and embrace this new enterprise” said Professor David Bailey, Chair of the Association.

“We are confident that the new Office will be a great asset to the Association and its international members” said Sally Hardy, Chief Executive of the Association. “During the planning and the launch of this initiative the Association have received great support and encouragement from the whole international community of regional studies and regional science” continues Sally.

The main deliverables linked to the US Office, which include the mapping of key assets, and the identification of key themes and trends in regional studies and regional science in the American continent, fully reflect the ambitious goals set out in the 2008-2013 Association Development Plan. The Association has a reputation for never failing to deliver very complex international projects. The US project builds on the success and experience of the Association and contributes to its unprecedented growth, which will culminate in the 2013 RSA Annual International conference, which will be held in the United States.