Justin Wolfers
Justin Wolfers | |
|---|---|
 Wolfers (c.2009) | |
| Born | Justin James Michael Wolfers 11 December 1972 |
| Partner | Betsey Stevenson |
| Academic background | |
| Education | University of Sydney (BEcon) Harvard University (MA, PhD) |
| Lawrence F. Katz[2][3] Olivier Blanchard | |
Other advisors | Christopher Jencks Alberto Alesina |
Justin James Michael Wolfers (born 11 December 1972)[4][5] is an Australian-American[6] economist and public policy scholar.
He is professor of economics and public policy at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and a non-resident senior fellow at both the Brookings Institution and the Peterson Institute for International Economics.[7]
Education
[edit]Wolfers attended James Ruse Agricultural High School, in Sydney (1985–1990).[8] It was in high school that he became interested in economics, noting the influence of his economics teacher.[9]
Following graduation from high school, Wolfers earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Sydney in 1994.[10]
He then moved to the United States, and at Harvard University earned a MA in economics in 2000[11] and a PhD in economics in 2001.[11] Wolfers is a Fulbright Scholar.[12]
Career
[edit]Wolfers was associate professor of business and public policy at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.[13] With his partner, fellow economist Betsey Stevenson, in the fall of 2012 Wolfers moved to the University of Michigan as professor of economics and public policy.[14] Wolfers is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, a research fellow of the IZA in Bonn and a research affiliate of the Centre for Economic Policy Research in London. He is also a visiting professor of economics at the University of Sydney.[15]
Work
[edit]Wolfers is noted for his research on happiness and its relation to income.[16] He is a contributor to The New York Times (where he writes for The Upshot blog) and The Wall Street Journal. He was an editor of the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity from 2009 through 2015. His research has explored macro economics, labour economics, the economics of sports, prediction markets, and the family.[17]
In 2019, Stevenson and Wolfers wrote two economics textbooks, Principles of Microeconomics and Principles of Macroeconomics, published by Macmillan Learning. The aim of the authors was to reflect a school of thought where "every decision a person makes is an economic decision" and to offer examples students could relate to, reflecting the real world.[18]
Stevenson and Wolfers host the Think Like an Economist podcast which intends to introduce the audience to economic ideas and empower folks to make better decisions.[19]
Wolfers publishes Platypus Economics on Substack, which debuted in the Spring of 2026.[20] The newsletter offers free and paid subscriptions, providing links among its options to earlier work and video of interviews on other programs and platforms as well as an online chat.
Personal life
[edit]Wolfers and his partner Betsey Stevenson have two children. They are unmarried for tax reasons and often have discussed being in a shared earning and parenting relationship during interviews and public appearances.[14]
Reception
[edit]- In 2007, Wolfers was named in a David Leonhardt column as one of 13 young economists who were the future of economics.[21]
- In 2014, Wolfers was named by International Monetary Fund as one of the 25 brightest young economists who are expected to shape world thinking about the global economy in the future.[22]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Forward Thinking on bringing the joy to economics with Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers". www.mckinsey.com. 28 June 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ WolfersCV
- ↑ "RePEc Genealogy page for Justin Wolfers". Retrieved 8 June 2017.
- ↑ Justin Wolfers [@JustinWolfers] (12 December 2014). "Best. Birthday. Ever. #42" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ↑ Bowmaker, Simon W. (2012). The Art and Practice of Economics Research. doi:10.4337/9781849808477. ISBN 9781849808477.
- ↑ "Justin Wolfers Rejoins Brookings Economic Studies as Senior Fellow". Brookings. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Justin Wolfers". Peterson Institute for International Economics. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
- ↑ Baker, Jordan (18 December 2020). "25 years at the top of the HSC: What makes James Ruse special". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ "Teach Economics: The Importance of Teaching Students to 'Think Like an Economist' with Professor Justin Wolfers". www.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ↑ "Justin Wolfers". Brookings Institution. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Justin Wolfers". University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. University of Michigan. Retrieved 10 September 2026.
- ↑ "Much-Watched Couple in Economics Lands at U. of Michigan". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- ↑ Schmidt, Ben (2012). "Much-Watched Couple in Economics Lands at U. of Michigan". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
- 1 2 Peter Monaghan (2012). "Much-Watched Couple in Economics Lands at U. of Michigan". Chronicle of Higher Education.
- ↑ "Justin Wolfers". Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
- ↑ "Subjective Well-Being and Income: Is There Any Evidence of Satiation?". 30 November 2001.
- ↑ "Justin Wolfers, Professor of Economics & Public Policy". users.nber.org. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ↑ "Macmillan Learning announces publication date for new Stevenson, Wolfers economics textbooks". The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
- ↑ "Think Like An Economist" at IMDb
- ↑ Wolfers, Justin, Platypus Economics with Justin Wolfers, Substack
- ↑ David Leonhardt (10 January 2007). "The future of economics isn't so dismal". New York Times.
- ↑ Boby Michael (August 2014). "IMF Lists 25 Brightest Young Economists". International Business Times.
