SUU Economics Department Chair Speaks at OECD Conference
Published: September 27, 2024 | Author: Jacob Carr | Read Time: 2 minutes
Cedar City, UTAH–
Dr. David Berri, Department Chair of Economics at SUU, recently spoke at an International Equal Pay Day event, hosted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This event, entitled, “Closing the Gender Pay Gap: Towards Pay Equity in Sports,” brought together high-profile experts, politicians, and athletes from around the world including the secretary general of the OECD, the Prime Minister of Iceland, and various olympic athletes.
The OECD is an international organization whose goal is to find solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges and set international standards to implement these solutions. Dr. Berri was asked to speak on the gender pay gap in sports as an introduction to a panel of olympic athletes discussing the same issue.
“In the past the OECD has done a conference on Equal Pay Day just focusing on equal pay around the world,” said Dr. Berri. “This year, they focused specifically on sports and I had the privilege to speak about women in sports. It was a great opportunity for me to talk with this prestigious organization.”
This opportunity came as a result of Dr. Berri’s internationally recognized work in the field of sports economics, particularly his most recent book, “Slaying the Trolls! Why the Trolls are Very, Very Wrong About Women in Sports,” co-authored with Nefertiti Walker, Deputy Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and Equity at the University of Massachusetts.
“The story of the gender wage gap in sports is that men get paid more than women,” said Dr. Berri. “And men would like to believe it's because they're better in some way or the market has spoken. In reality, there's a long history of discrimination against women. I was asked to talk about and explain that these women are being treated differently than men and that's why their wages are lower - because men invent these stories.”
Dr. Berri’s research into the gender wage gap and other often-controversial issues in sports economics has presented him with many speaking engagements as well as frequent opportunities to be interviewed by and write for major news outlets including NPR, Forbes, Time, The Atlantic, and the New York Times.
Through all his success, including the opportunity to speak at the OECD conference, Dr. Berri has remained wholly committed to SUU and his important research continues to put the University on the map.
“This is a really beautiful place,” said Dr. Berri. “I like it here. I'm now chair of the department. I've hired a bunch of new people. I get to mentor them. That's kind of fun.”
For more information on the OECD and to view Dr. Berri’s talk please visit https://www.oecd.org/en.html.
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Contact Information:
Nikki Koontz
435-586-5400
nikkikoontz@suu.edu