UNC Asheville’s Economics Club will host a talk on "Escaping Poverty Traps: Strategy and Successful Examples" by Stephen C. Smith, professor of economics and international affairs at George Washington University. The talk, which will take place from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, in Highsmith University Union’s Alumni Hall, is free and open to the public. A reception will take place before the talk, from 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. in Highsmith University Union’s Pinnacle.

Smith, who is the director of the Research Program in Poverty, Development and Globalization at George Washington University, has written dozens of academic articles and two books. His research currently focuses on the design and impact of poverty programs, which make an effort to change the status quo and improve the general wellbeing of people living in extreme poverty. His speech will be based on two of his most recent books, "Ending Global Poverty: A Guide to What Works" and "NGOs and the Millennium Development Goals: Citizen Action to Reduce Poverty."

For more information, contact Robert Tatum, UNC Asheville Professor of Economics, at 828/251-6550 or rtatum@unca.edu.