Parag A. Pathak

Parag A. Pathak is the Class of 1922 Professor of Economics at MIT and founder/director of MIT's Blueprint Labs, which applies market design principles to social policy. His research focuses on education policy, labor economics, and public economics, with notable contributions to school assignment systems and pandemic resource allocation. Pathak has held leadership roles in initiatives like redesigning the US Army's branching process and developing equitable allocation systems for medical resources during crises.

Research Interests: His work bridges economic theory with practical policy design, emphasizing fair allocation mechanisms, education outcomes, and health resource distribution. Key themes include school choice systems, pandemic reserve systems, and the long-term impacts of universal preschool.

Featured Articles: Recent work analyzes school survey methodologies, immigration lottery reforms, and the long-term effects of Boston's universal preschool. His contributions to allocating scarce medical resources during the pandemic have influenced global health policies.

• Awards: John Bates Clark Medal (2018), Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2018), Fellow of the Econometric Society (2016).
• Labs/Teams: Blueprint Labs (MIT Economics Department), Avela Education.

Pathak's advising and grants focus on market design applications in education and healthcare. His work integrates empirical rigor with policy implementation to address systemic inequities.