Daron Acemoglu

Daron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also co-directs the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center on Inequality and is a Research Affiliate at MIT Blueprint Labs. He received his BA from the University of York (1989), followed by MSc and PhD in economics from the London School of Economics (1990, 1992). Since 1993, he has held academic positions at MIT, including Professor of Economics since 2004.

• Education:
  • BA, University of York (1989)
  • MSc, London School of Economics (1990)
  • PhD, London School of Economics (1992)
• Affiliations:
  • National Bureau of Economic Research
  • Center for Economic Policy Research
  • MIT Stone Center on Inequality
  • MIT Blueprint Labs

Acemoglu's research spans political economy, technological change, labor economics, development economics, and economics of networks. His work examines how institutions shape prosperity, the interplay between technology and inequality, and systemic risks in economic networks.

Recent publications focus on automation, climate policy, and digital platform governance, with recurring themes in labor economics and directed technical change. His 2024 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (shared with Simon Johnson and James Robinson) recognizes foundational work on institutional formation and prosperity.

• Major Scientific Awards:
  • Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (2024)
  • John Bates Clark Medal (2005)
  • Erwin Plein Nemmers Prize (2012)
  • BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award (2017)
  • Carnegie Fellowship (2017)

Acemoglu's books, including the New York Times bestseller Why Nations Fail, synthesize decades of research on institutions, democracy, and economic development. His advisory roles at MIT and global honorary doctorates underscore his academic leadership.