The global economy has crashed. When did it start? Why did it happen? Why do we think we were taken by surprise? This symposium presents a perspective on these questions from physicists who have been working in economics. The speakers will discuss their recent work as well as discuss problems and approaches for future research. Throughout, they will stress what the methods and research style of physics have to offer for economics, and explain why it is complementary to that of economists. The speakers have been chosen carefully from those working in the new field of “econophysics” to represent a diversity of backgrounds and research interests, both in the United States and abroad.