Dean Kerwin K. Charles Elected Vice President of American Economics Association

Kerwin K. Charles, Indra K. Nooyi Dean and the Frederic D. Wolfe Professor of Economics, Policy, and Management, has been elected a vice president of the American Economics Association (AEA), the organization announced. 

In a statement of purpose provided to AEA members, Charles wrote, “Insights and results from modern economics have become indispensable tools for the understanding, design, and evaluation of policy intended to improve societal wellbeing. However, the continued relevance, usefulness, and impact of our field require a rapid broadening in the ranks of professional economists to ensure the presence of persons and perspectives currently underrepresented; the removal of factors that frustrate the timely review and publication of research findings; and the use of outlets for communicating our ideas to the broader public beyond research articles in our professional journals. I would strive to advance these objectives as AEA VP.”

Yale SOM’s dean since 2019, Charles is an economist whose research focuses on earnings and wealth inequality, conspicuous consumption, race and gender labor market discrimination, and the intergenerational transmission of economic status, among other topics. Before coming to Yale, he was a longtime faculty member at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago.