In this article titled “Who is James Heckman, the Nobel Prize-winning famous economist?” Zatrun.com as, we will cover in detail the life and work of this influential figure, who has piqued the interest of our readers.
Who is James Heckman?
James Heckman is an American economist born on April 19, 1944. As a Nobel Prize-winning economist, he is currently working as the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and the College at the University of Chicago, as well as a Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, Director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD), and Co-Director of the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity (HCEO) Global Working Group.
Heckman is also a Professor at the Law School and a Senior Research Fellow at the American Bar Foundation, as well as a research affiliate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He shared the Nobel Prize in Economics Sciences with Daniel McFadden in 2000 for his pioneering work in econometrics and microeconomics. As of December 2020, according to RePEc data, he is the second most influential economist in the world.
Born in Chicago, Illinois to John Jacob Heckman and Bernice Irene Medley, James Heckman received his B.A. degree in mathematics from Colorado College in 1965 and earned his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 1971 under the guidance of Stanley W. Black with a thesis entitled “Three essays on the supply of labor and the demand for goods”.
James Heckman and His Career
James Heckman is an American economist who serves as the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and the College at the University of Chicago, as well as a Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy. He is also the Director of the Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD) and the Co-Director of the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity (HCEO) Global Working Group.
In addition, Heckman is a Law Professor at the University of Chicago Law School, a senior research fellow at the American Bar Foundation, and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. In 2000, he shared the Nobel Prize in Economics with Daniel McFadden for their pioneering work in econometrics and microeconomics. As of December 2020, according to RePEc data, he is the world’s second-most influential economist.
James Heckman was born on April 19, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois to John Jacob Heckman and Bernice Irene Medley. He earned a B.A. degree in Mathematics from Colorado College in 1965 and a Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University in 1971 under the supervision of Stanley W. Black, with a dissertation titled “Three essays on the supply of labor and the demand for goods.” Prior to joining the University of Chicago in 1973, he moved to Columbia University as an assistant professor. He has advised around 70 students, including Carolyn Heinrich, George Borjas, Stephen Cameron, Mark Rosenzweig, and Russ Roberts.
The Center for the Economics of Human Development
The Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Chicago, led by Heckman in 2014, brings together multiple research areas involving rigorous empirical research aimed at identifying strong human capital policies and program designs. CEHD initiatives include the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Global Working Group, the Pritzker Early Childhood Development Consortium, the Heckman Equation, the Determinants of Lifecycle Skills and Outcomes Research Network, and the Asian Family Transition Initiative. Along with Professor Steve Durlauf, Heckman serves as Co-Director of the HCEO Working Group.
