Larry Samuelson

Larry Samuelson is the A. Douglas Melamed Professor of Economics at Yale University and maintains a visiting position at the Cambridge Faculty of Economics with appointments extending through 2025. His academic career spans over four decades since completing his PhD in 1978.

Samuelson earned his B.A. from the University of Illinois in 1974 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Illinois in 1978. His research focuses on economic theory with specializations in game theory, evolutionary foundations of economic behavior, repeated games, and non-Bayesian models of behavior.

His scholarly work examines fundamental questions in economic theory, particularly exploring how evolutionary processes shape economic behavior and how game-theoretic models can explain cooperative behavior in repeated interactions. His research bridges theoretical economics with evolutionary biology and behavioral science.

Samuelson's publications demonstrate consistent focus on theoretical foundations of economic behavior, with recent work exploring wealth redistribution policies, cooperation mechanisms in repeated games, and evolutionary selection of risk attitudes. His research shows increasing sophistication in modeling complex economic behaviors over time.

• Fellow of the Econometric Society
• Fellow of the American Academy for the Arts and Sciences

Samuelson has served as co-editor of Econometrica, the American Economic Review, and the American Economic Review: Insights. He has held leadership positions including president of the Game Theory Society and various roles within the Econometric Society, demonstrating significant influence in his field. His office hours are by appointment only, reflecting his senior academic status and likely substantial advising responsibilities.