Marc Fusaro is a research assistant in the Research and Statistics division of the Federal Reserve System. "I work in Washington DC in a glorious marble building facing the Vietnam memorial," Marc says. "I am in the Economic Activity Section, which is on the front lines of monetary policy. We are the people who forecast and study the economy for the Governors of the Federal Reserve and Chairman Greenspan."

"This section (as most research sections at the board) has two responsibilities: 1. Studying and forecasting the economy to assist the board in making monetary policy. 2. Long term research. The Economic Activity Section has much more forecasting responsibility than most others. We also spend time maintaining the computer programs and experimenting on changes to our forecasting procedures. Many economists here are publishing in leading economics journals. I assist on these research projects."

Marc has a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Scranton. However, most of the research assistants and analysts he works with have degrees in economics. "This is the only job for which I applied after college," he recalls. "The Federal Reserve recruits research assistants every winter. I applied, was interviewed in March 1996, was offered a job, and started the following July. My position is designed to be attractive to graduates who intend to move on to Graduate School or Wall Street in two or three years. It is not a career track position. There is almost no room for advancement -- it is a stepping stone position. I chose this position because I think it will allow me to step higher when I step to the graduate school stone."

"I enjoy being close to the making of monetary policy. Research is fun but I feel that I am accomplishing more when I contribute to monetary policy. In the research and productive work, mathematics is the foundation for economics. For instance, options pricing often uses complicated differential equations. The mathematics in economics, where it is not explicit, is implicit. It underlies the economics everywhere. I can not always identify when I am doing mathematics. However, the thought processes learned in doing mathematics are crucial to economics and helps at every step."

"I would recommend economics courses, especially econometrics and statistics, and perhaps an economics minor or major for anyone interested in a position like mine."

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