Chicago Quantitative Alliance

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November 2022

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November Newsletter

Keep up to date on the latest CQA news.

CQA Updates:

The first ever CQA-SQA Virtual Seminar held on November 9th was a success. We had a superstar presenter in Cam Harvey from Duke University, and we've set the stage for future collaborations with SQA. The next event in this series will be in May of 2023. Please let us know if you have any suggestions for speakers.

Beginning 15 years ago the CQA has sponsored a reception at the annual ASSA meetings. The ASSA is the largest conference of academics representing the American Finance Association and the American Economic Association. There are usually around 7,000 to 10,000 attendees. The last 2 years have been disrupted by COVID, but this year they are back to a live event in New Orleans. The last time it was in New Orleans was the week before the LSU - Ohio State National Championship game. It was quite a scene on Bourbon Street with drunken football fans mixed in with the university professors. It was very easy to tell them apart. We were excited to be heading back to a live event in New Orleans in January of 2023, but the ASSA recently sent out this memo. WSJ has an interesting take on it (see below). As a result, we won't be hosting a reception this year in New Orleans. Due to these restrictions, we don't feel like it would be worthwhile to sponsor the event this year.
   
Each year we accept new applicants for membership in early December. Applications are due by November 30. If you know anyone who is interested in membership, please encourage them to apply before the deadline.
-Dan Cardell
CQA-SQA Seminar
On November 9th Professor Campbell Harvey gave a very impressive presentation on DeFi and Web3. He kicked off the first in a series of virtual seminars we will co-sponsor with the SQA. His presentation was incredibly informative and gave the audience a very good picture of the future of DeFi and the opportunities in Web3. Cam has recently co-authored a book on the topic, which I would recommend to anyone who wants to understand this space. DeFi and the Future of Finance
 
"Who Was That Masked Economist?"
by Mark Skousen published in The Wall Street Journal

I was looking forward to the American Economic Association’s January conference in New Orleans after two years of virtual meetings. Then I got this notice from the AEA: “All registrants will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received at least one booster. High-quality masks (i.e., KN-95 or better) will be required in all indoor conference spaces. These requirements are planned for the well-being of all participants.”

Seriously? This isn’t 2020—it’s 2023. Everyone else has been getting back to normal, and being exposed to viruses is part of life. I got vaccinated, wore masks, kept my distance, and got Covid anyway. So did millions of others.

I can fly to New Orleans, teach college classes, and go to restaurants, gyms and social events without wearing a mask or showing proof of vaccination. Even Broadway theaters have dropped their demand for masks.

I called the Hilton Riverside, headquarters hotel for the AEA meetings, and asked if they have any mask or vaccine mandates. They said “none.” I’ll speak at the New Orleans Investment Conference at the same hotel in October, and the organizers aren’t mandating masks or vaccines. Overseas it’s the same. I’m speaking at the World Knowledge Forum in September in Seoul and attending the Mont Pelerin Society meetings in October in Oslo. No masks or shots required.

China still has mandates in place. Maybe the AEA should hold its annual meeting in Beijing. Perhaps organizers will feel more comfortable among central planners.

The AEA is cagey about who planned this particular policy. When I emailed, the AEA said it was a decision made by “the AEA’s leadership.” Did someone do a cost-benefit analysis? Who knows! Why didn’t they make allowances for people with religious or health concerns about vaccines? I share the sentiments of George Mason University’s Tyler Cowen who said on his blog: “How about allowing a members’ vote on this? Or should I just be happy that the AEA is making itself irrelevant at such a rapid pace? It is remarkable the speed at which the economics profession isn’t really about economics anymore.” Peter Drucker once observed that “there are no slower learners than economists.” I never believed that until now.

 


"Follow the Science"
by Tyler Cowen published on Marginal Revolution
 
To attend the 2023 ASSA Annual Meeting, all registrants will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to have received at least one booster. High-quality masks (i.e., KN-95 or better) will be required in all indoor conference spaces. These requirements are planned for the well-being of all participants.

That is from the AEA. Really!!??

Even the Arlington County Public Library is doing better than that. Did someone do a cost-benefit analysis? If so, may I see it? And if this is optimal, why are no private American businesses following suit? (Can you name one, outside of some health care settings?) How far do you have to go to find an institution, profit or non-profit, doing the same

How about allowing a members’ vote on this? Or should I just be happy that the AEA is making itself irrelevant at such a rapid pace? It is remarkable the speed at which the economics profession isn’t really about economics any more.
New Member Applications
Membership applications are due by November 30, 2022 for 2023 Membership. Please send the following link to anyone you know who is interested in applying for CQA membership.

Membership FAQ http://www.cqa.org/membership

Application http://www.cqa.org/users/new

We currently have a waitlist for membership, but prospective candidates should apply as soon as possible to secure their spot on the waitlist.
Recommended Reads
"Commodities, Crude Oil, and Diversified Portfolios"
Hilary Till wrote this article for the Global Commodities Applied Research Digest (a publication of the J.P. Morgan Center for Commodities).
Read
"Birth Order and Fund Manager's Trading Behavior: Role of Sibling Rivalry"
Sugata Ray has recommended this paper that investigates the role birth order has on managerial behavior. They find younger sibling fund managers take more risks and attribute it to childhood experiences.
Read
Upcoming Events
Inquire-Europe & Inquire UK Seminars
Joint Spring Seminar co-hosted by Inquire-Europe and Inquire UK
Republic of Malta - March 26-28, 2023 - More Info
Autumn Seminar hosted by Inquire-Europe
Bergisch Gladbach, Germany - Sept 24-26, 2023
Spring 2023 Conference
Las Vegas, Nevada - April 12-13, 2023
VISIT CQA.ORG
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