Daniel McFadden

Prof. Daniel McFadden is the E. Morris Cox Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, renowned for his groundbreaking work in econometrics and human choice modeling. He joined UC Berkeley's faculty in 1964, later serving at MIT (1977–1991) before returning to Berkeley, where he founded the Econometrics Laboratory in 1991, which focuses on statistical computation for economic applications.

McFadden’s research emphasizes linking economic theory with empirical measurement, particularly in modeling decision-making processes. His methodologies, such as discrete choice analysis, revolutionized fields like transportation planning (e.g., optimizing the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit system) and are applied across disciplines, including marketing, political science, and environmental science. He has received prestigious awards, including the Nobel Prize in Economics (2000) and the John Bates Clark Medal (1975).

His academic journey began with a BS in Physics (age 19) and a PhD in Behavioral Sciences (Economics) from the University of Minnesota (1962). He is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences and has contributed to advancing interdisciplinary research through his laboratory.