Sydney expert to give public lecture on blood donations   21 Aug 2014

Sydney expert to give public lecture on blood donations

August 21, 2014

A Sydney expert will give a public talk at the University of Canterbury next month on the science of giving, economics and improving blood supply.

Professor Bob Slonim of the University of Sydney will present the university’s annual New Zealand Experimental Economics Laboratory lecture on September 18. His fascinating research aims at improving blood supply which will appeal to economists, researchers more generally, the general public and policy-makers.

The supply of some blood products in most countries falls well short of meeting demand. To better understand motives for donating blood, Professor Slonim has conducted many scientific studies.

``My studies combine naturally occurring data with natural field experiments. The results show that basic economic principles apply to blood supply, such as offering economic incentives increases supply despite long standing beliefs to the contrary and that the market for blood can be improved using economic design mechanisms.’’

Professor Slonim is working with the Red Cross and blood donation centres around the world to better understand blood donation motivation and behaviour. He recently received a five year Australian Research Council Discovery Project grant relating to blood donations.

Lecture organiser Associate Professor Maroš Servátka, from the School of Business and Economics, says the talk is likely to stir up debate in New Zealand about donating blood.

Meanwhile, the university’s School of Business and Economics has earned initial accreditation by the International Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business which is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.

AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programmes.

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