It is with great pleasure that we pay tribute to a former alumnus of the Department of Economics at Ohio State University, Professor J. Graham Smith (1936-2018). The award is established in memory of the late Professor J. Graham Smith, who first earned a B.A. (Hons.) in economics from Nottingham University, England and then crossed the pond to complete both an MA and PhD (1965) in economics from Ohio State University. Professor Smith later taught at Wellesley College, before leaving the USA for Canada where he became the chairman of the Department of Economics and then a Full Professor in the Faculty of Management at McGill University in Montreal. Professor Smith was active in a range of fields including international finance; economic development; managerial economics; and environmental economics collaborating widely with colleagues in Canada, the USA, Africa, Europe, Cuba and China. Throughout his career, Professor Smith sought to apply his economics training to tackle complex, often interconnected, problems viewing economics as a positive force for change in the world. Professor Smith co-authored the best-selling book “The Conserver society: a workable alternative for the future” (1979) which explored many of the persistent problems raised by unfettered economic growth.
The Professor J. Graham Smith Memorial Prize in Applied Economics shall be awarded annually at the discretion of the Chair to a graduate student to support their research in any aspect of applied economics. When awarding this prize special consideration shall be given to students who have demonstrated knowledge of United Kingdom, Canada or the British Commonwealth (e.g., Australia, New Zealand, India, etc.) history or culture. If no students meet the selection criteria, the prize shall be awarded to the most deserving candidate as determined by the department based on academic merit. The initial amount of the prize shall be USD $ 1500.00 annually.
Donations can be sent to the Department of Economics at Ohio State University, referencing The Professor J. Graham Smith Memorial Prize Fund in Applied Economics. Fund Number: 316124 or through the Ohio State University donations web page at https://www.giveto.osu.edu/makeagift/?fund=316124. Donations are eligible for a tax receipt.
Thank you for your support and we expect to make the first award in 2022.