The first field trip of the 2026–27 academic year was to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The St. Louis Fed is one of 12 Federal Reserve Banks that serve as the operating arms of the Federal Reserve System. Each Reserve Bank operates within its own geographic area, or district, of the United States.
Our visit began with welcoming remarks by Ken Fields, senior vice president of communications and engagement. Next, Diego Mendez-Carbajo introduced us to FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), an online database containing hundreds of thousands of economic time series from a wide range of national, international, public, and private sources, and explained how to connect AI tools to it. Charles S. Gascon, economist and assistant vice president, then presented an economic outlook. We concluded our visit with a tour of the Economy Museum, an award-winning museum that offers a unique, immersive experience exploring the economy and money in a fun and interactive way.