NDSU to host workshop on global trade and geopolitics

NDSU will host Kari Heerman for a presentation titled “Geopolitical Implications of Trade Policies” as part of the Human Progress and Flourishing Workshop at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 17, in Beckwith Recital Hall.

The event is free and open to the public. The presentation will also be available via Zoom. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served at 11 a.m. in the Challey School of Music Atrium.

Heerman, a senior fellow and director of Trade and Economic Statecraft at the Brookings Institution, will discuss how shifting trade policies are shaping the global economy. Her talk will explore how concerns about America’s industrial base, trade disputes, and rising geopolitical tensions are redefining U.S. trade strategy and its long-term economic implications.

For decades, U.S. trade policy emphasized openness and global integration. That narrative, Heerman notes, has changed dramatically. Tariffs, retaliatory measures, and talk of trade wars have become more common, reflecting a complex mix of economic, political and strategic factors that continue to influence how nations engage in global commerce.

Heerman previously served as acting chief economist in the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of State, where she led analysis at the intersection of economics and foreign policy. She also served as a deputy assistant U.S. trade representative in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and as a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers from 2021 to 2023.

Before her federal service, Heerman worked on agricultural trade policy for the International Food and Agricultural Trade Policy Council, the German Marshall Fund, and the Hewlett Foundation. She holds a Ph.D. in applied economics from the University of Minnesota.

The Human Progress and Flourishing Workshop invites national and international scholars to share research and engage in open dialogue with the Fargo-Moorhead community. The series focuses on topics that advance opportunity, innovation, and human well-being. It is sponsored by the Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth and offered as a one-credit course (BUSN 491/690) for undergraduate and graduate students.

Registration is encouraged through Eventbrite for in-person attendance and Zoom for the virtual option. Both links are available on the Challey Institute website.

For more information, visit the Challey Institute website.