Jere R. Behrman

Jere R. Behrman is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Economics and Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, with additional affiliation as a Research Associate at Penn's Population Studies Center. He earned his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1966. His research integrates empirical microeconomics, labor dynamics, and human resource development—spanning early childhood, education, health, and nutrition—to analyze how institutions and unobserved factors shape socioeconomic outcomes in developing economies.

His work emphasizes project evaluation, economic demography, and household behaviors, with field applications across 40+ countries. He has led 160+ research projects funded by the NIH (45 grants), NSF (15 grants), and international bodies like the World Bank and UNICEF.

Awards & Honors:

• Fulbright 40th Anniversary Distinguished Fellow
• Econometric Society Fellow
• Carlos Diaz-Alejandro Prize (2008)
• Irene B. Taeuber Award (2017)
• Doctor Honoris Causa, University of Chile (2011)

He has published 480+ articles and 35 books, collaborating with global institutions including the Asian Development Bank and United Nations. His grants focus on human capital, demographic transitions, and policy impacts in low-income regions.