About
Matthew Rabin is the Pershing Square Professor of Behavioral Economics at Harvard University, holding dual affiliations with the Harvard Business School and the Department of Economics within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He previously spent 25 years at the University of California, Berkeley, where he began as an Assistant Professor in 1989 after earning his PhD from MIT in 1989. His research integrates psychologically realistic assumptions into formal economic theory, focusing on statistical reasoning errors, belief evolution, choice context effects, and market learning dynamics.
- Education: PhD in Economics from MIT (1989), Assistant Professor appointment at UC Berkeley (1989).
His work bridges behavioral economics and empirical theory, addressing topics like reference-dependent preferences and inferential biases. He has held visiting roles at MIT, LSE, Northwestern, Harvard, Caltech, and institutions like the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences (Stanford) and the Russell Sage Foundation. He co-organizes the Russell Sage Summer Institute in Behavioral Economics and is a member of the Russell Sage Behavioral Economics Roundtable.
- Awards: John Bates Clark Medal (American Economic Association), MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, Econometric Society Fellowship, and others listed above.
Rabin advises students across Harvard’s PhD programs and affiliated institutions. His office hours include diverse formats (Zoom, in-person, and walking meetings) to accommodate students and colleagues. He emphasizes research collaboration and pedagogical innovation, reflected in his teaching and outreach activities.
