Marquette Business' Marburg Lecture to discuss child mental health crisis, Nov. 14

Nov. 13, 2025

MILWAUKEE - Dr. Janet Currie, co-director of the Program on Families and Children at the National Bureau of Economic Research, will deliver the 2025 Marburg Memorial Lecture, titled "Investing in Children to Address the Youth Mental Health Crisis," on Friday, Nov. 14, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium, 1506 W. Wisconsin Ave.

The child mental health crisis has been described as the "defining public health crisis of our time." In fact, the crisis has existed for decades. Youth suicides vary asynchronously with other mental health measures and are impacted by external factors such as firearms legislation, and investments can improve child mental health and prevent suicide.

Currie's lecture will address three myths about the crisis: the idea that the crisis is new; the belief that increases in youth suicide mainly reflect deterioration in children's underlying mental health; and the myth that investments in children have little impact on children's mental health.

The lecture, hosted by the Department of Economics in the College of Business Administration, is free and open to the public; registration is required and available online.

Currie is the David Swensen Professor of Economics at Yale University. Her current research focuses on socioeconomic differences in health, environmental threats to health, child mental health, and the long-run impact of child health. She has presented her work at universities around the world and in venues ranging from the White House to the European Investment Bank. Currie was the 2024 President of the American Economic Association, was chosen as a NOMIS Distinguished Scientist in 2019, won the Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize in 2023, and was named a Clarivate Citation Laureate in 2024. In 2015, she was named one of the top 10 women in economics by the World Economic Forum.

The Marburg Lecture series is named in honor of the late Theodore F. Marburg, a longtime member of Marquette's Department of Economics. The goal of the lecture is to provide a forum for the discussion of moral, philosophical, and social dimensions of economic issues, as well as continue Professor Marburg's commitment to the economic aspects of peace and justice. The Marburg Lecture is made possible by the generosity of the Marburg family and through the support of the Center for Global and Economic Studies.

About Marquette University

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university located near the heart of downtown Milwaukee that offers a comprehensive range of majors in 11 nationally and internationally recognized colleges and schools. Through the formation of hearts and minds, Marquette prepares our 11,100 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students to lead, excel and serve as agents of positive change. And, we deliver results. Ranked in the top 20% of national universities, Marquette is recognized for its undergraduate teaching, innovation and career preparation as the sixth-best university in the country for job placement. Our focus on student success and immersive, personalized learning experiences encourages students to think critically and engage with the world around them. When students graduate with a Marquette degree, they are truly prepared and called to Be The Difference.

About Kevin Conway

Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of Marketing and Communication. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or [email protected].