photo by: Submitted

Elliott Harris, former chief economist for the United Nations, is pictured.

The former chief economist and leading economic development official for the United Nations will be at the University of Kansas this month to deliver a lecture on the world’s economy.

Elliott Harris will deliver the Self Graduated Fellowship Symposium Lecture at 3:30 p.m. on April 19 in Woodruff Auditorium at the Kansas Union.

Harris served both as chief economist and the assistant secretary general for economic development for the United Nations. In that role, he led a number of programs designed to reduce poverty and create sustained economic development initiatives.

Harris will serve as the keynote speaker for the Self symposium, which brings together past fellows of the Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship program. That 35-year old program gives financial and professional development support to doctoral students at KU in a variety of academic fields. Named after the late Madison and Lila Self — who owned a successful chemical company that was a major player in the plastics industry — the program has provided fellowships to more than 200 students, including 41 in this current school year.

Harris’ lecture is free and open for the public to attend.