John Provo
@japrovo.bsky.social
A pracademic helping communities shape ideas and actions for future well-being | Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement | Talent+Place+Innovation=Economic development
Where do you think we are going in the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley, and Lynchburg? Help shape the direction for GO Virginia Region 2 investments for next year. Details and registration for workgroup meetings on April 25, May 9, May 15, and May 22 at the link below.
cece.vt.edu/GOVAR2/indus...
cece.vt.edu/GOVAR2/indus...
2025 Growth and Diversification Plan Industry Work Groups
cece.vt.edu
April 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Where do you think we are going in the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley, and Lynchburg? Help shape the direction for GO Virginia Region 2 investments for next year. Details and registration for workgroup meetings on April 25, May 9, May 15, and May 22 at the link below.
cece.vt.edu/GOVAR2/indus...
cece.vt.edu/GOVAR2/indus...
“Everyone in this room agrees with your book,” Mr. Furman said. “No one outside of this room agrees with your book.”
A thought not just economists.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/b...
A thought not just economists.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/b...
Economists Are in the Wilderness. Can They Find a Way Back to Influence? (Gift Article)
Economists have long helped to shape policy on issues like taxes and health care. But flawed forecasts and arcane language have cost them credibility.
www.nytimes.com
January 10, 2025 at 4:24 PM
“Everyone in this room agrees with your book,” Mr. Furman said. “No one outside of this room agrees with your book.”
A thought not just economists.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/b...
A thought not just economists.
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/b...
Pulaski County’s goal
Is 40 by 30 (40,000 people by the 2030 Census). www.wdbj7.com/2025/01/08/b...
Is 40 by 30 (40,000 people by the 2030 Census). www.wdbj7.com/2025/01/08/b...
Big housing development project coming to Pulaski
Pulaski will soon break ground on one of the largest housing development projects in the New River Valley, building nearly 300 new homes.
www.wdbj7.com
January 8, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Pulaski County’s goal
Is 40 by 30 (40,000 people by the 2030 Census). www.wdbj7.com/2025/01/08/b...
Is 40 by 30 (40,000 people by the 2030 Census). www.wdbj7.com/2025/01/08/b...
I'm thinking about demographic change and capacity building in economic and community development as a throughline for several projects this semester (a studio course, a paper for a conference on marginal/rural regions, and some op-eds on the Virginia economy). Thread /1
January 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
I'm thinking about demographic change and capacity building in economic and community development as a throughline for several projects this semester (a studio course, a paper for a conference on marginal/rural regions, and some op-eds on the Virginia economy). Thread /1
Demographics and economic development go hand in hand. cardinalnews.org/2025/01/06/w...
Without immigration, Virginia would be losing population
ODU report shows that over the past three years, immigration has kept the state from slipping into the column of states with declining population.
cardinalnews.org
January 6, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Demographics and economic development go hand in hand. cardinalnews.org/2025/01/06/w...
Thread
#econsky Very useful database on place-based and industrial policy-related federal investments over last several years, from Glencora Haskins and Joseph Parilla @brookings.edu
www.brookings.edu/articles/siz...
www.brookings.edu/articles/siz...
Sizing and seizing Washington’s $40 billion down payment on place-based industrial policy
Federal funding has helped regions invest in clusters of technology, innovation, and competitiveness that will power U.S. economic growth and strengthen national security.
www.brookings.edu
December 11, 2024 at 11:09 PM
Thread
Bookmarking for later. VA has longstanding programs of support for companies engaged in international trade. How those might adapt to ameliorate challenges and uncertainties in this new environment may be a topic in the 2025 gubernatorial election.
cardinalnews.org/2024/12/09/s...
cardinalnews.org/2024/12/09/s...
Southwest Virginia has the most at risk in a trade war
A new study documents how much of the Virginia economy is tied to trade. Rural economies are often more trade-dependent than urban ones.
cardinalnews.org
December 9, 2024 at 12:07 PM
Bookmarking for later. VA has longstanding programs of support for companies engaged in international trade. How those might adapt to ameliorate challenges and uncertainties in this new environment may be a topic in the 2025 gubernatorial election.
cardinalnews.org/2024/12/09/s...
cardinalnews.org/2024/12/09/s...
"We need to win the people." I just spent two days immersed in conversations with economic development and chamber folks from around the state.Talent recruitment and retention, and the focus required, connecting community and economic development issues (housing, childcare, etc) was a common thread.
December 6, 2024 at 6:56 PM
"We need to win the people." I just spent two days immersed in conversations with economic development and chamber folks from around the state.Talent recruitment and retention, and the focus required, connecting community and economic development issues (housing, childcare, etc) was a common thread.
Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data never gets enough love. See item #2 in this very interesting story on the dispersal of federal workers outside of Northern VA. cardinalnews.org/2024/11/25/t...
Trump wants federal workers back in the office. However, many of them appear to have moved to rural Virginia.
His back-to-the-office plan could have economic implications far beyond the Washington metro area.
cardinalnews.org
November 25, 2024 at 6:57 PM
Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics data never gets enough love. See item #2 in this very interesting story on the dispersal of federal workers outside of Northern VA. cardinalnews.org/2024/11/25/t...
Thread…As we travel through the hype cycle, domain specific approaches will be helpful.
"The biggest challenge with artificial intelligence is that we don’t have enough yet. Regulation should aim to help solve this problem." So begins my latest WSJ Opinion piece.
I propose six principles:
1. Balance costs & benefits
2. Compare AI with humans, not to the Almighty
I propose six principles:
1. Balance costs & benefits
2. Compare AI with humans, not to the Almighty
November 22, 2024 at 4:08 PM
Thread…As we travel through the hype cycle, domain specific approaches will be helpful.
I'm getting a little carried away with the "follow all" button on starter packs (time to prune already?).
November 22, 2024 at 3:46 PM
I'm getting a little carried away with the "follow all" button on starter packs (time to prune already?).
I love all regions big and small, but the growth trend since 2010 in MSAs under 250k (the first chart in this story) tells us something we all need to know.
www.coopercenter.org/research/you...
Since the pandemic, young adults have fueled the revival of small towns and rural areas | Cooper Center
So far the 2020s have turned out very differently than any recent decade. The 2023 county population estimates released by the Census Bureau this spring showed that last year migration rose in small t...
www.coopercenter.org
November 22, 2024 at 3:44 PM
I love all regions big and small, but the growth trend since 2010 in MSAs under 250k (the first chart in this story) tells us something we all need to know.
www.coopercenter.org/research/you...
Love this! The housing crisis is one of those problems like the weather, everyone talks about it but nobody does much. Meet my friend Andrew and his colleagues! news.vt.edu/articles/202...
A 3D printer could build your next home, affordably
In an effort to find new solutions to ease the affordable housing crisis, Virginia Tech researchers are partnering with Virginia Housing to create 3D-printed concrete homes.
news.vt.edu
November 22, 2024 at 3:37 PM
Love this! The housing crisis is one of those problems like the weather, everyone talks about it but nobody does much. Meet my friend Andrew and his colleagues! news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Hear our friend James talk about the CS/root initiative news.vt.edu/articles/202...
'Curious Conversations' podcast: James Harder talks about emerging tech and entrepreneurship
Harder highlighted the Department of Computer Science’s initiative CS/root and shared his belief that the entrepreneurship process can be learned and applied to various novel ideas.
news.vt.edu
November 21, 2024 at 6:55 PM
Hear our friend James talk about the CS/root initiative news.vt.edu/articles/202...
Team meeting with Roanoke County economic development today. Its a rapidly evolving county looking carefully at its future.
November 21, 2024 at 4:15 PM
Team meeting with Roanoke County economic development today. Its a rapidly evolving county looking carefully at its future.
Good reflections with partners this time of year. Some of my colleagues and I spent an afternoon earlier this week reviewing our embedded relationship with a regional technology alliance earlier this week. Big wins will be announced soon, building out a great expansion to our ecosystem.
November 21, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Good reflections with partners this time of year. Some of my colleagues and I spent an afternoon earlier this week reviewing our embedded relationship with a regional technology alliance earlier this week. Big wins will be announced soon, building out a great expansion to our ecosystem.
Talking yesterday with colleagues about projects coming up in the new year. Looking at childcare gaps and their impacts, and exploring our outdoor recreation economy and lessons we can learn from Hurricane Helene for future-proofing assets.
November 20, 2024 at 12:53 PM
Talking yesterday with colleagues about projects coming up in the new year. Looking at childcare gaps and their impacts, and exploring our outdoor recreation economy and lessons we can learn from Hurricane Helene for future-proofing assets.