World Affairs Council Upstate Events
Every year, the nation-wide network of World Affairs Councils collectively conducts more than 1200 programs in communities and cities across the nation. Each council sets is own calendar and programs. The WACA offers a number of programs every year, including our annual National Conference, national program series, Leadership Missions, and special programs. It also acts as a distribution center for five national flagship programs: Academic World Quest, It’s Your World!, Great Decisions, Travel the World, and World in Transition.
Upcoming 2019 WACU events:
FLASHPOINTS: America and the World Monthly Lecture Series to focus on global impact issues:
September 2019 – April 2020. Save the remaining lecture dates: Wednesday, February 12; and Thursday, March 12.
- Topics to include: Iran and Nuclear Weapons in January; Trade and Tariffs in February; Russian Hacking in March. Click on our calendar here for detailed information about each lecture and to register.
All lectures will be presented by published experts in their fields and will take place at the Ogletree Deakins meeting room, 300 N. Main St., Greenville, from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm, and includes a light lunch.
Upcoming Distinguished Speaker Events:
- Thursday, February 6: Understanding Bitcoin and Why Blockchain Technology will be as Transformative as the Internet
12:00 – 1:30 pm at the Gene Haas Center for Manufacturing Innovation, 575 Millenium Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29607
What is bitcoin and blockchain technology? How did it originate? What is the global impact? Learn everything you need to know to prepare for the next big technological advancement. Join the World Affairs Council Upstate and our co-hosts, the European American Chamber of Commerce-Carolinas and Upstate Alliance as we welcome Sheri Kaiserman, co-founder of Maco.la, a blockchain focused equity investment fund and advisory/HR services firm. Sheri is an accomplished finance professional with over 30 years of Wall Street experience. After beginning her career at Oppenheimer and spending 10 years as an equity research salesperson, she went to Wedbush Securities and built and ran their equities business for 16 years. Under Sheri’s leadership, Wedbush was the first Wall Street firm to begin publishing research on private companies (2010), and then was the first to publish research on the topic of bitcoin and blockchain (December 2013).
Lunch Included: $15.00 UI Members; $20 Non-members. Register here
- Wednesday, February 12: Trade and Tariffs
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm. at the Ogletree Deakins Meeting Room, 300 N. Main St. Greenville, SC 29601
In the 21st century, increasing exposure to international trade, especially with China, has had significant impacts on US labor markets. These impacts have, in turn, contributed to increased political polarization and support for policies like tariffs that restrict international trade. In 2018, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on approximately $250 billion of imports from China. What does economic research tell us about the relationships between increased trade with China, the 2016 election, and the current trade war?
Dr. Nathan Cook joined the economics faculty of Furman University in 2008. After receiving his PhD in economics from Michigan State University, he began his career in academia researching International Trade Policies. His most recent research investigates the effect of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on export diversification and economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Cook is a recipient of the 2013-2014 Alester G. Furman, Jr., and Janie Earle Furman Award for Meritorious Teaching.
Lunch Included: $10 for UI Members; $15 for Non-Members. Register here.
Questions? Contact Tracie Frese at [email protected]
- There are other Upcoming WACU Events in the planning stage: If you have an idea for an interesting international business topic or speaker please let us know.
Join us in educating ourselves on, and promoting a global perspective in, our increasingly inter-dependent world by becoming a member of WACU.
WACU Memberships:
- Individual Membership: $100.
- Family Membership $125.
- Corporate Business Memberships at various levels. Contact Tracie Frese to find the right fit for your organization. Email her at [email protected]
WACU Benefits:
- Free admission or discounts on events and programs
- Automatic membership in Upstate International
- Publication discounts, including: Foreign Affairs (30% off), Foreign Policy (40% off), The Economist (10% off), The New Yorker (80% off), Harper’s Magazine (38% off), Brookings Institution (20% off books) and World Policy Journal (20% off).
- Access to World Affairs of Council of America (WACA) Resources: WACA Leadership Network; Discussion Boards, Resource Materials, Authors, Events, and Programming
- WACA Weekly Digest with updates from around the WACA National Network, including attendance and virtual participation opportunities in programs and discussions with U.S. and international leaders, as well as access to a virtual library of renowned speakers and special events.
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