This webinar will provide an overview of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics (BFS), highlighting key findings for Puerto Rico. BFS measure business initiation activity and the cycle from initiation to realized business formation. This session will include an introduction to the BFS, its uses and data collection. Participants will also explore the available data for Puerto Rico.

Emin Dinlersoz is a Principal Economist at the U.S. Census Bureau's Center for Economic Studies. He received his PhD. from University of Rochester in 2000. He has previously taught at the University of Houston and worked as a consultant in economics. His main research areas are firm and industry dynamics, industry evolution, industrial and labor relations, entrepreneurship, and technology adoption. His work has been published in various peer-reviewed journals including American Economic Review, Journal of Monetary Economics, and Review of Economic Dynamics.

Mario Marazzi-Santiago is currently in charge of leading the development of the Puerto Rico Federal Statistical Research Data Center (FSRDC).  He received his PhD. from Cornell University in 2002.  Previously, he served as an Economist in the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, during which time he published several articles in academic journals and two chapters on the topic of international economics.  Subsequently, he founded the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, building it from the ground up, including its research initiatives, its technical assistance programs, its training programs and its extensive collaboration with federal and international organizations. 

Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET