David Autor, the Daniel (1972) and Gail Rubinfeld Professor in the MIT Department of Economics, has been appointed head of the Department of Economics, effective July 1. “David is a world-class labor economist,” says Agustín Rayo, the Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. “He is also an individual of wisdom and insight. I look forward to welcoming him to the school’s leadership team.”
Autor’s scholarship explores the labor-market impacts of technological change and globalization on job polarization, skill demands, earnings levels and inequality, and electoral outcomes. He serves as faculty co-director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work. “I’ve been at MIT since 1999, and I owe my career to the Institute, the department, and colleagues who are as kind as they are accomplished,” Autor states. “Stepping into this role is a chance to contribute to a place that has shaped me at every stage.”
Autor succeeds Jon Gruber, the Ford Professor of Economics, who has served as department head since July 2023. Autor aims to build on the stellar standard set by its faculty and students while navigating budget tightening and a shifting political landscape. “Just as important, I want to lead the department toward the opportunities that advancing AI is opening in how we teach and what we research,” he adds.
Autor serves as co-director of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) Labor Studies Program. He earned a BA in psychology from Tufts University in 1989 and a PhD in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 1999. Autor has received numerous awards for both his scholarship — the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, the Sherwin Rosen Prize for outstanding contributions to the field of Labor Economics, the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship in 2019, the Society for Progress Medal in 2021 — and for his teaching, including the MIT MacVicar Faculty Fellowship, the James A. and Ruth Levitan Award for excellence in teaching, the Undergraduate Economic Association Teaching Award, and the Faculty Appreciation Award from the MIT Technology and Policy Program.
In 2020, Autor received the Heinz 25th Special Recognition Award from the Heinz Family Foundation for his work “transforming our understanding of how globalization and technological change are impacting jobs and earning prospects for American workers.” In 2023, he was one of two researchers across all scientific fields who was named a NOMIS Distinguished Scientist. In 2024, Autor was one of five senior scholars selected by the Schmidt Sciences Foundation as an AI2050 Senior Fellow.
Blogger's Review: David Autor's appointment not only highlights his exceptional contributions to labor economics but also underscores the academic community's focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence and globalization. His leadership may inject new vitality into the Economics Department, driving innovative research directions for the future, particularly in the application of AI. Looking forward to seeing how he leads the team to explore more cutting-edge research!