LACDev Conference

Mission Statement

This annual conference brings together faculty working in Development Economics at Liberal Arts Colleges. The intention of the conference is to provide a forum to discuss recent research and teaching in development economics. 

The conference takes place annually and rotates among Liberal Arts Colleges. Started in 2013, the conference aims to foster exchange and collaboration among Liberal Arts College faculty and students.

The 14th LACDev Conference will be held at Villanova University in Fall 2027

More details to come by January 2027. 

If you would like to be added to the directory and receive announcements, please email lacdevconference@gmail.com.

13th LACDev Conference at Wesleyan University (18-19th September 2026)

Carolina Castilla Keynote Speaker: Tavneet Suri (MIT) 

Local Organizing Committee: Anthony Keats, Melanie Khamis, Lexi Schubert, Francois Seyler, Xiaoxue Zhao (Wesleyan University)

Selection Committee: Shamma A. Alam (Dickinson), Anthony Keats (Wesleyan), Leah K. Lakdawala (Wake Forest), Francois Seyler (Wesleyan), Kartini Shastry (Wellesley), Xiaoxue Zhao (Wesleyan)

Here is the information regarding the conference logistics. 

Here is the 2026 preliminary program.

Previous LACDev Conferences

2025 - Reed College, Carolina Castilla Keynote Speaker: Manisha Shah (UC Berkeley)

2024 - Williams College, Keynote Speaker: Seema Jayachandran (Princeton)

2023 - Amherst College, Keynote Speaker:  Nina Pavcnik (Dartmouth)

2022 - Wellesley College, Keynote Speaker: Rema Hanna (Harvard)

2021 - Oberlin College, Keynote Speaker: Dean Yang (Michigan)

2019 - Colby College, Keynote Speaker: Nathan Nunn (Harvard)

2018 - Middlebury College, Keynote Speaker: Rohini Pande (Harvard)

2017 - Hamilton College, Keynote Speaker: Michael Kremer (Harvard)

2016 - Vassar College, Keynote Speaker: Robert Jensen (Penn)

2015 - Lafayette College, Keynote Speaker: Chris Barrett (Cornell)

2014 - Colgate University, Keynote Speaker: Chris Udry (Yale)

2013 - Amherst College, Keynote Speaker: Dean Karlan (Yale)