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Lars Hansen, Nobel Prize Winner to Lecture at USU

Utah State University alumnus and Cache Valley resident Lars Peter Hansen is one of three Americans to be the recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economics.  He will be presenting a free lecture, “Consequences of Uncertainty,” Friday, March 7 at 11:30 a.m. at the Kathryn Caine Wanlass Performance Hall on the Logan campus.

Hansen is internationally known for his specialization in economic dynamics, using statistical methods applied to study linkages between financial markets and the macro-economy.

“I’m interested in what are the economy wide impacts by financial market turbulence.”

Hansen studied mathematics and political science, with a minor in economics at USU before going on to earn a doctorate in economics from the University of Minnesota. Hansen said it was mathematics and economics professor at USU, Bartel Jensen, who influenced him to actually pursue economics.

“I didn’t take an economics class until my junior year at Utah State and then I had to go through an accelerated program because they wanted me on the PhD program by my senior year,” he said.

Doug Alder was Hansen's USU European History professor, and Hansen said he was key in inspiring Hansen to accomplish great things.

“I remember talking to him one-on-one and he kind of said, ‘You have a set of unique skills, kind of do something special, just don’t go imitate others, play to your own special strengths.'”

Hansen’s lecture will be free and open to the public.