RICHARDSON, Texas (March 18, 2003) - An economist at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) has received a grant from the Fulbright Scholars Program to conduct and present research this summer on the challenges faced by Germany as the result of the changing demographics of its population. Lessons learned by the researchers could be applied to similar problems faced by the world's largest economies, including that of the United States.

Dr. Nathan Berg of UTD's School of Social Sciences is one of 25 U.S. scholars and professionals with demographic expertise who will travel to Berlin this summer to meet with leading German researchers and government officials and examine issues such as pension and healthcare funding in aging societies like Germany and the U.S. During the three-week seminar, the related issues of immigration, labor market trends and Germany's increasing ethnic diversity will also be addressed.

Participants in the Berlin event will include top demographers, policy experts and researchers from both countries. Berg is the only economist who was selected to take part in the program.

"Germany provides those of us who study demographic trends in America with a valuable basis for comparison," Berg said. "While there are important historical differences between the U.S. and Germany, both countries face similar problems making sure there will be enough money in the budget to live up to Social Security commitments coming due over the next 30 years."

" Immigration is another area where Germany and the U.S. face similar dilemmas," Berg said. "European debate over immigration relates directly to research I'm working on here in Texas."

Berg is a Cecil and Ida Green Assistant Professor of Economics and Political Economy at UTD. A microeconomist, he studies economic behavior, population change and policy.

The Fulbright Scholars Program is the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational exchange. It was proposed to Congress in 1945 by then-freshman Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. In the aftermath of World War II, Fulbright viewed the program as a much-needed vehicle for promoting "mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries of the world." Congress approved the program, and President Harry Truman signed it into law in 1946. The program is sponsored by the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and its primary source of funding is an annual appropriation from Congress.

About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 13,000 students. The school's freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university's Web site at http://www.utdallas.edu/.