MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Friends of Economics,
As I near the conclusion of my three-year term as Department Chair and prepare to return to the faculty, I wanted to share some updates and thank all of you who have been supportive of Berkeley Economics over these last three years. Thanks to the efforts of our faculty, students, and alumni, we are the #1 ranked Economics Department in the world, per the most recent US News & World Report ranking. Without a doubt, Berkeley Economics continues to lead in teaching, research, and impact on policy. A recent testament to our long history of innovation was the celebration on campus marking the 30th anniversary of the very first behavioral economics course ever taught, right here at Berkeley, by George Akerlof and Daniel Kahneman, who would both go on to win Nobel Prizes in Economics.
Your Berkeley Economics department has a great deal of momentum. I emphasize “your,” because it illustrates our commitment to rebuilding and reimagining our relationship to alumni. You will always have a home here, and chances are you are one of many Berkeley alumni in your city. We have committed to expanding and improving the opportunities for you to connect to the department, and each other. We held 10 calendar events across the country and beyond this past academic year, a dramatic year over year increase. We seek to make our faculty more accessible, and provide opportunities for you to network with your fellow alumni. Watch for notices on upcoming events in New York City and San Francisco featuring leading policy makers and faculty.
Last August we launched the Charter Hill Society for Economics, our new annual giving society. We asked alumni to consider a three-year commitment to the department’s annual fund, and I am proud and humbled to report that we now have 51 members against our first year goal of 30. These generous alumni make gifts of $1,000 or greater for a three-year period and together have helped us increase our department annual fund by over 300%. These flexible funds go directly to the department, and help us meet immediate needs and take advantage of strategic opportunities. The multi-year component helps us plan into the future. If you have questions or would like more information, please reach out to Christian Gordon via cmgordon@berkeley.edu.
Thank you! It has been a tremendous year for Berkeley Economics faculty, and I hope you take some time to read the news below on the many ways we are having an impact on teaching, research, and policy. To all who have supported our students and faculty during my term as chair, thank you.
SHACHAR KARIV
Benjamin N. Ward Professor Economics; Department Chair
A link to past Econ Newsletter.