~February~
Nicholas Apergis, Ph.D
Full Professor
University of Piraeus (Department of Banking and Financial Management)
BACK in 1995 Nicholas Apergis was attending his very first International Atlantic Economic Conference in Williamsburg, VA. He struck up a very fruitful conversation with the late John Virgo where they both came to the conclusion that a mutual and sustainable collaboration would bring benefits to both parties. As he realized that the IAES was bringing important researchers (mainly from academics) together and, thus, the interaction with such researchers would provide a strong boost to his research career. Therefore, he decided to join the association in order to get sustainable support to his research agenda, which after so many years, has been turned out to go far beyond his initial thoughts! Nicholas served on the IAES Executive Comittee from 2009-2012 and is currently a Board of Editor for the International Advances in Economic Research journal. In between reviewing articles for the IAER journal he enjoys watching movies and sports, and cooking for friends over deep intellectual conversations about economics and politics (a typical Greek symposium!). As well as spending playing time with his 10-year dog, Bobbie.
What do you find most enjoyable about your involvement with the IAES?
Needless to say, John was a good listener and mainly an open-minded person, ready to listen and adopt a number of ideas that could increase substantially the reputation of the association. Furthermore, the way John and Kathy Virgo approached you made you feel that you were a member of a family not just a member of another international association.
What types of projects/research are you working on and what inspires/motivates your field of study?
My current research agenda involves three pillars: one, the way different types of monetary policy rules affect the efficiency of the monetary transmission mechanisms, second, the interaction between portfolio choice and a number of macroeconomic variables, and, third, new and advanced issues in energy research. These three areas, among others, are really challenging for modern macroeconomics, while extensive work is still needed to clarify the mixed signals from the relevant literature. Although a great number of research papers have documented the gaps in research in a number of macroeconomic areas, the true motivation comes from the interaction with a certain number of potential co-authors who really contribute their idiosyncratic way of seeing things in future research ideas.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering entering your line of work or field of study?
I would advise serious reading of the literature, along with reliable knowledge of econometric methodological approaches. Develop strong comprehensive capacity to interpret results, and most of all patience with your co-authors.