"Understanding Our Economic Predicament" is the timely topic of a community panel discussion set for Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. in the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration, room 317 at Coastal Carolina University. The event is free and open to the public.

Learn more about the housing market slump, the recent financial crisis and the best course of action for the economy. For more information, call 843-349-2683. Featured panelists are:

* Robert Salvino, assistant professor of economics, earned a master's degree and Ph.D. in economics from Georgia State University. He served as a financial research consultant for the CThree Group in Atlanta. His areas of research include urban and regional economics, public finance and applied microeconomics.

* Thomas Secrest, professor of finance, earned a master's degree in finance from Auburn University and a doctorate in finance from the University of South Carolina. He teaches macroeconomics and financial intermediation, and his research interests are in fixed income securities, economic impact studies and nonprofit organizations.

* Yoav Wachsman, professor of economics and statistics, earned a master's degree and a doctorate in economics from the University of Hawaii. Wachsman's areas of expertise are applied microeconomics and game theory, natural resource economics, and economics of tourism.

* Andy Weinbach, professor of economics, earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate in applied economics from Clemson University. His research is primarily in the areas of sports economics, financial markets and consumer behavior.