Dr. Eduardo Cavallo, Lead Economist at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), spoke to students about the IDB’s Research Department. The Research Department generates new ideas to enrich the knowledge base that supports sustainable and equitable development. Through policy dialogue and advice, the IDB is able to assist authorities in the region and promote topics such as productivity, managing debt, and taxation. Dr. Cavallo asked, “What is the impact your research has?” He shared some of his research, explaining that natural disasters matter for economic development, and infrastructure gaps must be reduced to help accelerate economic growth. Investing in infrastructure supports long-term growth; short-term aid response to natural disasters does not solve growth problems. Long-term financing must be supported by domestic savings, both public and private.