economy

Register for a March 14 noontime webinar on the Economic Potential of Alaska's Mineral Industry, presented by Bob Loeffler and Brett Waston, ISER researchers.

All of the US is seeing significant demographic changes that will shape the workforce over the next 20 years, but these changes are especially significant in Alaska. Moreover, Alaska's population is strongly influenced by migration to and from Alaska. The shortage of workers during the Pandemic Recession may be in part a "tipping point" effect, where declines in the workforce that would have happened over several years were accelerated by COVID-19 changes. A February 2022 presentation by Dr. Ralph Townsend examined the implications of several demographic changes for the future of Alaska's workforce.

In a January 26 presentation, Dr. Mouhcine Guettabi describes the likely path of Alaska's economy in 2022, and includes a look back on the pandemic and pre-pandemic factors that have impacted the state's growth.

Join ISER on January 26, 2022 for a lunchtime presentation with insights from economist Mouhcine Guettabi. He will give an overview of how the economy has changed since the onset of the pandemic and a look at the opportunities and challenges ahead.

A July 2021 report by Dr. Mouhcine Guettabi found that research activities throughout the University of Alaska system create an enterprise that added $242 million in economic benefit to the state in 2020, measured by jobs supported, total payroll produced and business sales generated. The infusion of these research dollars into Alaska leads to economic expansion.

Join us for a lunchtime webinar on April 21, 2021 from 12-1pm. Associate Professor of Economics Mouhcine Guettabi will discuss the state of the economy, how the stimulus affects his forecast, and will offer a few notes on the budget.

Join us for a webinar on March 25 from 12-1 pm, when Dr. Brett Watson will present findings from research studies that statistically quantify how much locals in Alaska communities benefit economically from commercial fishing.

This election, Alaskans are considering a proposed tax increase on oil production through Ballot Measure 1. Proponents argue that the measure can provide a needed source of revenue as the state faces large deficits and empty bank accounts. Opponents argue that Alaska’s oil industry is under enough pressure from rising costs, low prices, and soft global demand.

More than 250 participants from around the state and as far away as New Zealand tuned in to the Alaska Common Ground Forum on Ballot Measure 1, held virtually on October 6. Ralph Townsend, Director for the University of Alaska Anchorage Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), provided a short overview of the proposed oil tax initiative before proponents and opponents presented their arguments. In Townsend’s brief summary, he presented highlights of the current production tax, proposed changes, and Department of Revenue estimates of its impacts.

UAA Professors Mouhcine Guettabi and Alex James have just published a paper in the journal Resource and Energy Economics entitled “Who benefits from an Oil Boom?  Evidence from a Unique Alaska Data Set.”  The paper applies a statistical approach called the “Synthetic Control Method” to examine the impact of the oil boom that began in 2006 on employment and income for residents and non-residents of the North Slope Borough.  The study uses data from 2000 to 2016.