Eric Chiang to present Paul J. Thomas Lecture Series
Eric Chaing, professor-in-residence at University of Nevada-Las Vegas, will present the 2024 Paul J. Thomas Lecture titled “Game Theory and the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election” 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the Auditorium in the Williamson College of Business Administration at Youngstown State University.
The lecture is free and open to the public.
People use strategic thinking in daily life, whether in sports, work, or relationships, and political candidates are no different—they use strategic approaches to win elections, which is where game theory comes in. Game theory explains how people make decisions when their choices depend on others' actions. Chiang's lecture explores key concepts like the Nash equilibrium, different types of games such as the prisoner’s dilemma and chicken games, and how these ideas apply to elections and everyday decisions. How voting structures influence campaign strategies, with U.S. presidential candidates often appealing to the "average voter" due to the way general elections work will also be examined.
Chiang received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Florida in 2002 and joined the faculty at Florida Atlantic University in 2003. Over his 20-year career at FAU, he served as the Director of Instructional Technology for the College of Business and taught over 18,000 students from Introductory to Ph.D.-level economics courses. In 2009, Eric won FAU’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year, the university’s top teaching award.
In 2023, he returned to his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he currently serves as Professor-in-Residence. Chiang has published 42 peer-reviewed journal articles and is the author of Economics: Principles for a Changing World, a textbook currently in use at 85 colleges and universities.
Chiang also serves on the advisory board for Global Traveler magazine and has visited over 100 countries. In his spare time, Chiang competes in mini-golf tournaments and is a member of the U.S. Pro Mini Golf Association. In 2019 he competed in the first season of ABC’s game show Holey Moley with NBA star Stephen Curry.
Tomi Ovaska, professor of economics at YSU and the Paul J. Thomas Endowed Chair in Economics, will host the October lecture. Endowed chairs are faculty positions supported by dedicated funds, enabling scholars to pursue advanced research and teaching in their field of expertise, while also fostering community engagement and collaboration in the academic and economic community.
The Paul J. Thomas Chair in Economics is supported by an endowment established to honor the donors' father, Paul J. Thomas. Thomas was born and raised in Niles, Ohio. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale and continued his education at Boston University and Ohio State University.
In 1939 he began employment with Packer Thomas as a CPA. Thomas joined the Navy during World War II, earning the rank of Lieutenant. He returned to the Mahoning Valley after the war and went onto a business career of great distinction. In addition to his service at Packer Thomas Certified Public Accountants and Business Consultants, he was vice president of Superior Industries and vice president of Easco Corporation.
The public can attend the Paul J. Thomas Lecture Series free of charge. Free parking is located in the M30 Parking Deck on Wick Avenue. For more information, contact Ovaska at tpovaska@ysu.edu or 330-941-3084.