Reuters, "Nobel-Winning Economist Vernon L. Smith Lectures to Inner-City High School Students at the Nicholas Academic Centers"

The Chapman University Professor, Known as the Father of “Experimental Economics,” Demonstrates How Both Buyers and Sellers Benefit from Market Transactions

Chapman University Nobel Laureate Vernon L. Smith, and his colleague, Bart Wilson, brought their unorthodox teaching methods to the students, parents and staff of the Nicholas Academic Centers in Santa Ana, CA., on Saturday (Nov. 5), conducting “double auction” experiments in which students learned how both buyers and sellers, who know nothing of each other’s interests, can benefit from market transactions.

The two professors from Chapman’s Economic Science Institute made their second appearance as part of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 2011-12 “Visiting Scholar Series” in partnership with Chapman University. Drs. Smith and Wilson delivered their first lecture in the series in January 2011 at the Center in downtown Santa Ana, CA.

Dr. Smith said he got the idea for “Experimental Economics” as a newly minted Harvard PhD teaching his first class at Purdue University. “I realized I didn’t know anything about the connection between the pretty pictures in the text books and how the real world worked,” Dr. Smith told the gathering. “So I decided to do an experiment.” He went on to became known as the father of “Experimental Economics” and in 2002 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in using laboratory experiments to research why markets and other exchange systems work the way they do.

<< Read More >>

Nobel Laureate to Participate in Nicholas Academic Center-Chapman University Program to Reach Inner-City High School Students

Board of Director Jack Mandel posing with Noble Prize winner for Experimental Economics Dr. Vernon Smith, his colleagues Dr. Bart Wilson and Jeffrey Kirchner, and Chapman University Chancellor Dr. Daniele C. Struppa.World-Renowned Economist Vernon L. Smith Will Lecture on “Experimental Economics” at the After-School Mentoring and Tutoring Center in Santa Ana, CA.

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nobel Prize-winning economist Vernon L. Smith, and his colleague, Bart Wilson, of Chapman University’s Economic Science Institute on Saturday, Nov. 5, will make their second appearance as part of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 2011-12 “Visiting Scholar Series” in partnership with Chapman University. Dr. Smith delivered his first lecture in the series in January 2011.

The program, now in its second year, is aimed at introducing high school students from inner-city communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities. Since the program launched last fall, Chapman University faculty and staff have delivered lectures to students, parents and community members on a broad range of subjects, from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game. (Lectures are held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 313 North Birch Street, 2^nd floor, in downtown Santa Ana, and are open to the public).

Dr. Smith, known as the “founding father of experimental economics,” will discuss “Using Experiments to Teach The Foundations of Exchange” with Nicholas Academic Center students, parents and staff. Smith was awarded the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in using laboratory experiments to research why markets and other exchange systems work the way they do. Dr. Wilson will assist Dr. Smith in carrying out sample experiments with the students, using the Economic Science Institute’s portable laboratory.

<< Read More >>

Yahoo Finance, "Nobel Laureate to Participate in Nicholas Academic Center-Chapman University Program to Reach Inner-City High School Students"

Nobel Laureate to Participate in Nicholas Academic Center-Chapman University Program to Reach Inner-City High School Students

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nobel Prize-winning economist Vernon L. Smith, and his colleague, Bart Wilson, of Chapman University’s Economic Science Institute on Saturday, Nov. 5, will make their second appearance as part of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 2011-12 “Visiting Scholar Series” in partnership with Chapman University. Dr. Smith delivered his first lecture in the series in January 2011.

The program, now in its second year, is aimed at introducing high school students from inner-city communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities. Since the program launched last fall, Chapman University faculty and staff have delivered lectures to students, parents and community members on a broad range of subjects, from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game. (Lectures are held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 313 North Birch Street, 2nd floor, in downtown Santa Ana, and are open to the public).

Dr. Smith, known as the “founding father of experimental economics,” will discuss “Using Experiments to Teach The Foundations of Exchange” with Nicholas Academic Center students, parents and staff. Smith was awarded the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in using laboratory experiments to research why markets and other exchange systems work the way they do. Dr. Wilson will assist Dr. Smith in carrying out sample experiments with the students, using the Economic Science Institute’s portable laboratory.

“We look forward once again to the opportunity to introduce Nicholas Academic Center students to experimental economics,” said Dr. Smith. “Our goal is to help students better grasp the complexities of human behavior in the marketplace.”

“For the second year in a row, we are privileged to introduce our students to the teachings of a Nobel-winning economist,” said Dr. Henry Nicholas, co-founder and former Co-Chairman, President and CEO of Broadcom Corp., who established the Nicholas Academic Centers in 2008 with retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel. “Our objective is to provide students with a challenging academic environment and there is no better way to achieve this than with a lecture by one of the most important economic thinkers of our time.”

Media links for previous “Visiting Scholar” lectures:

Video Presentation

Photo Gallery

About the Speakers

Vernon L. Smith, Ph.D. was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 for his groundbreaking work in experimental economics. He is a professor in Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business and Economics and School of Law and is a member of the Economic Science Institute at Chapman. He is the president of the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics, which he founded in 1997. Born in Kansas in 1927, Dr. Smith completed his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology, his master's degree in economics at the University of Kansas, and his Ph.D. in economics at Harvard University.

Bart Wilson, Ph.D. has joint appointments with Chapman University’s Argyros School of Business and Economics and the School of Law. His broad fields of specialty are industrial organization and experimental economics. He is currently pursuing research on the foundations of exchange and specialization and the origins of property right systems in laboratory economies. His other research programs apply the experimental method to topics in gasoline markets, e-commerce, electric power deregulation and antitrust. Dr. Wilson is a member of the Economic Science Institute at Chapman.

About the Nicholas Academic Centers

Located in downtown Santa Ana and on the campus of Valley High School, the Nicholas Academic Centers serve hundreds of Santa Ana Unified School District students on a daily basis throughout the school year and summer, providing them with tutoring, social support, and individual college guidance. Since the first Center opened in 2008, more than 150 students have gone on to college, with most attending top schools such as Georgetown, Smith, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, Allegheny and Chapman. NAC students have earned a total of more than $2 million in scholarships and financial aide. The NAC staff works closely with school principals, teachers and guidance counselors, as well as with students’ families and community leaders. The Centers are funded by the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation and modeled on the tutoring and mentoring program Judge Mandel started before retiring from the bench. Become a fan of the Nicholas Academic Centers on Facebook, or follow the NAC on Twitter.

About Chapman University

Chapman University founded in 1861 and celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2011, is one of the oldest, most prestigious private universities in California. Chapman’s picturesque campus is located in the City of Orange in the heart of Orange County – one of the nation’s most exciting centers of arts, business, science and technology – and draws outstanding students from across the United States and around the world. Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Schmid College of Science, College of Performing Arts, School of Law and College of Educational Studies. Named to the list of top universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review, Chapman University enrolls more than 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students. Facebook: www.facebook.com/chapmanuniversity.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50054616&lang=en

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50054616⟨=en

Chapman University and the Nicholas Academic Centers Launch 2011-2012 “Visiting Scholars Series”

For Immediate Release     

Media Contact, Chapman University:

Mary Platt  714-628-7271

platt@chapman.edu

Media Contact, Nicholas Academic Centers:

 Robert Magnuson 949-290-9382

rgm@magnusonandcompany.com

The Program, Entering Its Second Year, Introduces Underserved High School Students In Santa Ana, Calif., To a College Academic Environment

Rosa Diaz, Nicholas Academic Centers' Director of Operations, and NAC Acting Executive Director Hugo Gutierrez (far right) join Chapman University education Professor Brian Alters (left) and Chancellor Dr. Daniele Struppa at the first 2011-2012 "Visting Scholars Series" lecture.ORANGE, Calif.–Oct. 12–Chapman University and the Nicholas Academic Centers have launched the 2011-2012 “Visiting Scholars Series,” aimed at introducing high school students from underserved communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities.

Brian Alters, Ph.D., founder and director of Chapman University’s Evolution Education Research Center, on Saturday delivered the inaugural lecture, “The Pursuit of Happiness and Knowledge: Walt Disney and Charles Darwin.”  The session marked the beginning of the second year of the “Visiting Scholar Series” partnership between Chapman and the Nicholas Academic Centers, and was held at the NAC Annex in downtown Santa Ana. Since the program launched in the fall of 2010, Chapman University faculty and staff have delivered lectures to students, parents and community members on a broad range of subjects, from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game.

“We are honored to begin the second year of this unique partnership with Chapman University,” said Dr. Henry Nicholas, co-founder and former Co-Chairman, President and CEO of Broadcom Corp., who established the Nicholas Academic Centers in 2008 with retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel. “Our goal has been to provide our students with a diverse and challenging academic environment. The first year was a great success and we look forward to continuing this success through the current academic year.”

“For the university, this partnership provides the opportunity to develop relationships with talented students in our own backyard and introduce them to some of our most talented faculty,” said Dr. Daniele Struppa, Chapman University’s Chancellor. “I hope it’s as rewarding for the students as it is for our faculty and for me, personally.”

Media Links

Video Presentation

Photo Gallery

About the Speakers

Brian Alters, Ph.D. is a specialist in the evolution education-vs.-creationism controversy.  Dr. Alters has conducted research and authored books on evolution education, has testified as an expert witness in U.S. federal court and other important legal cases on these matters, and is vice president of the board of the National Center for Science Education.  The Evolution Education Research Center was created more than a decade ago by faculty of McGill and Harvard Universities, and expanded to Chapman University last year.

About the Nicholas Academic Centers

Located in downtown Santa Ana and on the campus of Valley High School, the Nicholas Academic Centers serve hundreds of Santa Ana Unified School District students on a daily basis throughout the school year and summer, providing them with tutoring, social support, and individual college guidance. Since the first Center opened in 2008, more than 100 students have gone on to college, with most attending top schools such as Georgetown, Smith, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine and Chapman. NAC students have earned a total of more than $2 million in scholarships and financial aide. The NAC staff works closely with school principals, teachers and guidance counselors, as well as with students’ families and community leaders. The Centers are funded by the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation and modeled on the tutoring and mentoring program Judge Mandel started before retiring from the bench. Become a fan of the Nicholas Academic Centers on Facebook, or follow the NAC on Twitter.

About Chapman University

Chapman University (www.chapman.edu), founded in 1861 and celebrating its 150^th Anniversary in 2011, is one of the oldest, most prestigious private universities in California.  Chapman’s picturesque campus is located in the City of Orange in the heart of Orange County – one of the nation’s most exciting centers of arts, business, science and technology – and draws outstanding students from across the United States and around the world.  Known for its blend of liberal arts and professional programs, Chapman University encompasses seven schools and colleges: Wilkinson College of Humanities and Social Sciences, George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, Lawrence and Kristina Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, Schmid College of Science, College of Performing Arts, School of Law and College of Educational Studies.   Named to the list of top universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and the Princeton Review, Chapman University enrolls more than 6,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students. Facebook: www.facebook.com/chapmanuniversity. 

Emmy-Winning Documentarian To Lecture at the Nicholas Academic Centers The Latest in Chapman University's "Visiting Scholars Series" Also Will Feature a Presentation on "Health and Media Literacy" in America

ORANGE, Calif., Mar 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sandra Robbie, who wrote and produced the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary Mendez vs. Westminster: For All the Children / Para Todos los Ninos, will speak on Saturday, March 19 at the Nicholas Academic Center Annex in downtown Santa Ana (from 9 a.m. to noon at 313 North Birch Street, 2nd floor; the event is open to the public).

The documentarian, who works at Chapman University, will be joined by Professor Lisa Sparks, who will discuss the importance of "Health and Media Literacy" in the United States. The lectures are part of the 2011 "Visiting Scholars Series," in which Chapman University faculty and staff have discussed a broad range of subjects--from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game--with students, parents and community members. The series is aimed at introducing high school students from underserved communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities.

Robbie's film tells the story of the 1946 Orange County case that ended legal school segregation in California seven years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

"These are important topics--one about a seminal chapter in our nation's history and the other about the critical issue of health care," said Dr. Henry Nicholas, Co-Founder and former Co-Chairman, President and CEO of Broadcom Corp., who partnered in 2007 with retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel to establish the Nicholas Academic Centers. "The 'Visiting Scholars Series' is designed to challenge our students to think, and that is exactly what these lectures do." "Most students are familiar with school segregation, but they don't realize that the trail to desegregation and Brown v. Board of Education was blazed right here in our backyard," said Dr. Corina A. Espinoza, the Centers' Executive Director.

"These are the kinds of lectures that really enlighten our students about the value of going to college." About the Speakers Sandra Robbie has spoken across the country about the Mendez case at venues including the Smithsonian Institute, Chapman University, Harvard Law School, Stanford University, USC and UCLA. Sandra has won numerous awards for her Mendez work and is now working at Chapman University to create the permanent home for the study and celebration of Mendez v. Westminster. The Chapman Mendez project aims to bring thousands of students and scholars from across the country to study and celebrate the history of Mendez v. Westminster and the human rights strides we have made together.

Lisa Sparks, is the Foster and Mary McGaw Endowed Professor in Behavioral Sciences, as well as the Director of the M.S. program in Health and Strategic Communication at the Crean School of Health & Life Sciences (Schmid College of Science), at Chapman University. She has published hundreds of articles and several books on issues related to health communication, aging and communication, and she has recently developed a scholarly interest in health disparities. She holds an adjunct appointment with the Cancer Center at the University of California, Irvine.

>>FULL ARTICLE<<

Update on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 12:32AM by HTN Foundation

View our photo gallery from the March 19, 2011 Nicholas Academic Centers/Chapman Visiting Scholars Series lectures by clicking >>HERE<<

Documentarian Sandra Robbie showed her film "Mendez v. Westminster: For All the Children/Para Todos los Ninos" as part of the 2011 "Visiting Scholars Series with Chapman University:

Students from the Nicholas Academic Centers got the chance to write their own television commercials promoting health awareness as part of a lecture by Chapman University Professor Lisa Sparks, an expert in health communication: