'Freakonomics' co-author to headline Krannert Leadership Series
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Bestselling author Steven Levitt will give the keynote address Oct. 14 at the Purdue University Krannert School of Management's 10th annual Leadership Speakers Series.
Since its inception, the series has raised more than $135,000 in scholarship money for Krannert undergraduate and graduate students. Specially priced tickets for the dinner are available to Purdue faculty, staff and students for $25 per person.
Gerald J. Lynch, interim dean of the Krannert School and professor of economics, and Purdue President France A. Córdova also will speak at the event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Purdue Memorial Union. Levitt will do a book signing after the event, which will conclude at 9 p.m.
In addition, the following Krannert alumni awards will be presented:
* The Krannert Business Leadership Award to Robert E. Gadomski, managing director of Napowan Associates. Gadomski earned a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in industrial administration from Purdue, and he received an honorary doctorate from the university in 2001.
* The Krannert Distinguished Alumni Award to Bruce Olson, president of BBI Group. Olson earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and a master's degree in industrial administration, and he received an honorary doctorate from Purdue in 2007.
* The Krannert Distinguished Service Award to Earl Major, who received a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and master's degree in management from Purdue. Major serves as director of human resources, practices and policy at Humana.
* The John S. Day Distinguished Alumni Academic Service Award to Tobias Moskowitz, who serves as the Fama Family Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago. Moskowitz received a bachelor's degree in industrial management and a master's degree in management from Purdue.
* The Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship Award to Joe DeGroff, a partner in Ice Miller law firm.
Levitt is the William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, where he directs the Becker Center on Chicago Price Theory and has taught since 1997. Levitt received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1989 and his doctorate from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994.
In 2004 Levitt was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal as the most influential economist under the age of 40. In 2006 he was named one of Time magazine's "100 People Who Shape Our World."
In 2005 Levitt co-wrote, with Stephen Dubner, "Freakonomics," which spent more than two years on the New York Times bestseller list and has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide in more than 30 languages. The sequel, "Superfreakonomics," also became a bestseller. Levitt also is co-author of the popular New York Times "Freakonomics" blog.
Through forceful storytelling and insight, Levitt shows how economics is, at root, the study of incentives - how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. "Freakonomics" shows that the modern world, despite a great deal of complexity and downright deceit, is neither impenetrable nor unknowable, but - if the right questions are asked - even more intriguing than we think.
For information and to reserve tickets, contact Tim Newton, Krannert director of external relations, at 765-496-7271, tnewton@purdue.edu.
Sponsors for the event are Verallia, Air Products, Accenture, Ted and Carol Jacob, the Gadomski Foundation, Lafayette Printing, Grow Indiana Media Ventures, Purdue Alumni Association, the Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship and Cummins.
Writer: Eric Nelson, 765-494-9465, nelsoner@purdue.edu
Source: Tim Newton, 765-496-7271, tnewton@purdue.edu