John Haltiwanger Honored by American Economic Association

John Haltiwanger, a Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Economics (ECON), was recently named to the American Economic Association’s (AEA) 2024 Distinguished Fellows list. 

Each year, the AEA selects no more than four economists to add to this list, which has been recognizing top economists’ lifetime research contributions since 1965.

“I am honored to be named as one of the four new Distinguished Fellows of the American Economic Association,” said Haltiwanger. “The list of Distinguished Fellow award winners is incredibly impressive and I am very pleased to be included in this group.” 

With collaborators, Haltiwanger’s research has shed light on the link between aggregate productivity and employment growth and the underlying job creation and destruction by firms, findings that have fueled new research from both micro- and macroeconomists. His research has also brought price measures into conversations surrounding firms’ productivity, effectively reshaping thinking on the factors that had historically contributed. 

“John Haltiwanger is one of the world’s leading economists studying productivity, entrepreneurship, firm dynamics and job creation. Understanding these topics is important in the design of macroeconomic, labor and trade policies,” said Andrew Sweeting, ECON Professor and Chair. “The department is thrilled that John has been recognized with this well-deserved distinction.”

Haltiwanger also helped to advance the creation of two datasets that are today considered “essential” to those conducting research related to firm and employment dynamics: the Longitudinal Business Database and the Business Dynamics Statistics. Early stages of the development of these datasets occurred during Haltiwanger’s time as the Chief Economist of the U.S. Census Bureau, which he juggled from 1997-1999, while continuing to teach.

Haltiwanger joined the University of Maryland as an associate professor in 1987, and was named a full professor in 1990, and a Distinguished University Professor—the highest appointment a tenured faculty member can receive from the University of Maryland—in 2010.

In 2013, he was named the first recipient of the Dudley and Louisa Dillard Professorship, which is presented to an outstanding tenured faculty member in ECON who combines a nationally recognized program of research, teaching excellence, and a commitment to building the professional standing of the department.

During his time at UMD, he has trained dozens of junior colleagues, graduate students, and a large number of successful Ph.D. students. Among many others, he has also held positions as a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and of the Institute of Labor Economics. He holds both positions still today. 

Haltiwanger earned a bachelor’s degree from Brown University, and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.

View the AEA’s Distinguished Fellows List

Published on Thu, Apr 18, 2024 - 10:13AM