“The Summer Institute in Economic Geography, which I attended in Frankfurt in 2014, was a particularly meaningful and memorable academic and personal experience. It was truly a unique event that enabled both the intensive exchange of academic ideas and perspectives as well as the building of lasting community bonds. Going well beyond the script of a strictly academic conference, the Summer Institute’s sessions, meetings and social gatherings cut to the multifaceted heart of what it means to be an economic geographer. It has been inspiring to see that so many people remain in contact, and that the generative process that began at the SIEG has flourished into social as well as collaborative networks. For my part, I would like to remain involved with this project and contribute in any possible way to ensure its continuation, since I consider it an institution that plays a key role in building the present and future of Economic Geography.”

Luis Felipe Alvarez León, doctoral researcher, Department of Geography, UCLA

“The Summer Institute for Economic Geography (SIEG) is a one-of-a-kind event, bringing together researchers across a variety of themes around one of geography’s most dynamic subdisciplines. The SIEG had many strengths, but a few come to mind. SIEG was inclusive, meaning that participation was equally split between quantitative and qualitative researchers, as well as between men and women. SIEG included perspectives from around the globe (literally), and even the “expert panel” of senior scholars comprised a diversity of intellectual traditions and methodological approaches. Another strength was that delegates were evenly divided between PhD students, post-docs, and junior faculty, which made conversations about publishing, grantsmanship, and careers quite useful. The personal interactions were the most worthwhile aspect for me, and my work on gentrification was recently published in Urban Studies with a co-author that I met at the Summer Institute in Zurich.”

Thomas Sigler, PhD, Lecturer in Human Geography, School of Geography, Planning & Environmental Management, University of Queensland

"The Summer Institute was a great opportunity to learn more about how economic geography has evolved and to debate the exciting directions in which it is going. There was real critical, productive engagement between very different approaches and areas of research—much more so than at many conventional academic events. In discussions of the challenges of working in academia today, I appreciated the open and supportive way that the group worked together, which looks set to continue in a lasting network."

Amy Horton, doctoral researcher, Queen Mary University of London

“My experience at SIEG in Zurich was invaluable particularly as it came at a perfect time for me—I was ABD and starting to think about going on the job market. SIEG provided a space for me to connect with other economic geographers, engage in excellent conversations around the part of the subfield I know the best, and quickly expand my understanding of the other parts of economic geography I was less familiar with. It gave me a real sense of the breadth and liveliness of the subfield. I'm still in touch with people from that trip and always look forward to seeing them at AAG and other conferences.”

Abigail Cooke, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University at Buffalo

“I attended the 2012 Summer Institute in Zurich, and it continues to rank among the most important professionalization experiences I have ever had. Not only did I form enduring intellectual connections and personal friendships—often with economic geographers in other subfields whose work I would not have encountered otherwise—but I gained a far better sense of how my work might help advance the discipline as a whole. As an intensive, multi-day experience with a select group of scholars, the workshop spurred a depth of engagement and discussion not possible at most conferences—I have often referred to its design for ideas on how to facilitate more substantial, genuinely transformative academic exchanges.”

Sarah Knuth, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, University of Michigan