Midwest Econometrics Group Conference 2025

Welcome to MEG 2025!

Schedule for MEG 2025

In Fall 2025, the Department of Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will host the 2025 Midwest Econometrics Group Conference (MEG). The conference will take place from October 3-4, 2025 at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Urbana, Illinois. The venue is the Illini Union (1401 W. Green St, Urbana, IL 61801). The event will begin on Friday afternoon and conclude after lunch on Saturday.

We invite you, and any other interested faculty and graduate students in your department or elsewhere, to submit a paper to present at the conference. Papers on any topic in Econometrics (theory/applied) are welcome.

Information about topics, papers, and presenters at last year’s conference is available HERE, and a full history of the conference can be found HERE

For questions about submissions, contact: econ@illinois.edu

Registration and Paper Submission

Registration is open now until September 8th.

The deadline for paper submissions is July 15th and only full draft submissions will be reviewed. Acceptance decisions will be made by August 15. You will be notified via email with the address provided in your submission.

Use the following link to register for the conference, as well as submit your paper: https://apps.atlas.illinois.edu/FormBuilderSurvey/Survey/las/Economics/midwest_econometrics_group_conference_registration/

The registration fee for faculty is $150 and the registration fee for Ph.D. students is $50. This includes the cost of lunch and dinner on October 3rd and breakfast and lunch on October 4th, in addition to coffee breaks on both days.

Keynote Speaker - Professor Joon Y. Park

Machine Learning in Econometrics and Economic Data Analysis

Joon Y. Park (Indiana University)

Professor Park's research and teaching interests are in econometric theory, financial econometrics, and machine learning in economics and econometrics. He has done foundational work on nonstationary time series, continuous time models, and large dimensional models, which has greatly improved our understanding of a wide spectrum of economic models. His recent research focuses on the econometric analysis of machine learning used in economics and finance. Before joining the faculty of Indiana University in 2009, Park taught at Texas A&M, Rice, Seoul National, Toronto and Cornell University. He has been a Fellow of the Econometric Society since 2002 and served as a Council Member and the Chair of the Far Eastern Standing Committee of the Econometric Society. He is a cofounder of a knowledge venture developing forecasters of energy demand and robot traders using machine learning. He is now the research director of the Economics Machine Leaning (EML) Lab at Indiana University.

Planning Your Travel to Champaign-Urbana

Lodging Information

We have secured room blocks for our conference attendees at the following hotels. Guests are responsible for making their own reservations and covering the cost of their stay.

Illini Union Hotel

Location: Inside the Illini Union, 1401 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: (217) 333-1241
Website: illiniunionhotel.illinois.edu/rooms-rates

Enjoy the convenience of staying right at the conference venue! The Illini Union Hotel offers comfortable accommodations in the heart of the University of Illinois campus. On-site parking is included in the room rate. Use the group code MEG25 when booking.

Marriott on Green Street

Location: 2009 S Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 352-9960
Website: marriott.com/cmpts-towneplace-suites-champaign-urbana-campustown

Located in downtown Champaign, the Marriott provides excellent amenities and is within walking distance from the conference venue. Use the group code MEG25 when booking online or by phone.

Booking Information

Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Be sure to mention the conference name or use group code MEG25 when booking to receive the group rate.
The deadline to book at the group rate is September 2, 2025.
For any lodging-related inquiries, please contact us at econ@illinois.edu

Traveling to UIUC

Getting to Champaign-Urbana

UIUC is located in central Illinois and is easy to reach by air, train, or car.

By Air

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD):
About 2.5–3 hours from Champaign. Peoria Charter provides direct shuttle service to campus.

University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI):
Just 15 minutes from campus, with daily flights from Chicago O’Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth. Rideshare and rental cars are available at the airport.

By Train

Amtrak – Champaign-Urbana Station (CHM):
Located downtown, about 5–10 minutes from campus. Served by the Illini, Saluki, and City of New Orleans routes. Taxis, MTD buses, and rideshares are available from the station.

Driving & Parking

Metered parking is available near the Illini Union (use the MobileMeter app).
Guests staying at the Illini Union Hotel will receive a parking pass.
Guests staying at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott on Green Street are a 10–15 minute walk from the Illini Union.

Local Organizer

Ji Hyung Lee