Month: September 2015
Does Competition Policy Promote Market Performance?
–Sharyn O’Halloran
Faced with growing skepticism about the benefits of policies design to promote competition and efficient markets, many governments have begun to reevaluate their approach. In this presentation Anu Bradford, Adam Chilton and Sharyn O’Halloran introduce an innovated antitrust data set and correlations with economic growth.
Click here to view the presentation and find out what’s new!
Supermoon Lunar Eclipse: Why So Rare?
-Morgan O’Halloran
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 10:10 am EDT, there is going to be the first supermoon lunar eclipse since 1982! And it’s going to be the last supermoon lunar eclipse until 2033! Why?
A supermoon is when a full moon happens at the same time that the moon reaches its closest point on its orbit around the earth. This occurs because, as some of you might know, the moon’s orbit is not perfectly round; it is an ellipse.
What does this mean? Well, it means that on Sunday the moon is going to appear 14% bigger than usual! And yes, I know that 14% doesn’t sound like a lot but trust me, it is.
The reason that supermoon lunar eclipses are so rare is because supermoons on their own are very rare but the fact that a supermoon is happening during a lunar eclipse is amazing! A lunar eclipse is when the sun, earth and moon align. In fact, there is less that a 1/100 chance a supermoon lunar eclipse happens! A rare event indeed!
So grab your binoculars, telescopes and extra-large magnifying glasses, and say “Hi” to the supermoon!
Permanent link: http://wp.me/p1Tsjm-1J
2016 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference Heads to Portland, Oregon
Teaching at Columbia University for more than two decades, Sharyn O’Halloran focuses on political economics. As a professor, Sharyn O’Halloran actively educates herself on the topic by participating in events hosted by the American Political Science Association (APSA).
February 12 marks the first day of the 2016 APSA Teaching and Learning Conference in Portland, Oregon. For three days, attendees will hear presentations and discuss trends related to the theme of “Rethinking the Way We Teach: High-Impact Methods in the Classroom” at the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront.
APSA aims to coordinate sessions on online education, simulations, civic engagement, and the inclusive classroom. In addition, courses on integrating technology into hybrid courses and teaching democratic theory in modern society may be included. To create an interactive experience, the association plans to host hands-on workshops as well, one of which will cover the 2016 elections.
For more information, interested parties can visit http://www.apsanet.org, where the official agenda will be made public in the future.
Preparing for an Ultramarathon
The George Blumenthal professor of political economics and a professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University, Dr. Sharyn O’Halloran has worked in the political science field for more than a quarter of a century. Outside of academia, Dr. Sharyn O’Halloran is an avid runner. She has completed several half and full marathons and recently ran a 60K ultramarathon.
Preparing for an ultramarathon takes time and dedication, especially if the race will be a runner’s first ultramarathon. Increasing running distance is an important part of training for an ultramarathon. While experienced marathoners may already be familiar with longer runs, new runners will need to gradually work their way up. Completing the full race length three to four times before the actual race is also important. Instead of doing the full length in a single day, however, it is best to complete two back-to-back long runs that add up to the total time. This gives runners a basic idea of where they need to improve without fully exhausting the body and mind.
Since ultramarathons are so long, runners must learn to keep themselves comfortable and hydrated during the run. Although there are aid stations set up along ultramarathon courses, they may not be interspersed enough throughout the course for runners to stay strong. Bringing a hydration pack can be extremely helpful for this. Further, runners may place drop bags along the race that contain food and other nutrition items, and they should practice going through these packs quickly and efficiently to ensure valuable time is not wasted. Additionally, certain clothing items may not be as comfortable during the longer run, so testing out different garments while training can be helpful.
MPSA Promotes Political Science Advancement through AJPS
A political science thought leader, Sharyn O’Halloran, PhD, has written a number of publications and won several awards throughout her nearly three-decade-long career. Currently serving as the George Blumenthal professor of political economics at Columbia University, Sharyn O’Halloran, PhD, belongs to such professional organizations as the Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA).
Since its founding in 1939, MPSA has been committed to advancing all areas of political science. To this end, the organization hosts one of the field’s largest annual conferences and offers a variety of scholarships. Additionally, MPSA publishes the American Journal of Political Science (AJPS). The journal is a general-interest publication available to all members and all disciplines of political science.
Supported by the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Social Science and the MSU Department of Political Science, the AJPS is a quarterly journal that is published every January, April, July, and October. The journal includes the newest research from all political science areas, including international relations, comparative politics, and political theory. Its mission is dedicated to advancing knowledge of politics and citizenship and sharing the value of field research.