Robert Lerman

Robert Lerman is a Professor of Economics at American University, specializing in employment, income support, and youth development policies for low-income populations. He co-founded Apprenticeships for America and serves as an Institute Fellow at the Urban Institute and Research Associate at IZA (Bonn, Germany). His career spans decades of policy analysis, including foundational work on youth apprenticeship strategies and unwed fatherhood economics.

• Harvard McGraw Prize winner (2024)
• Chair of American University's Economics Department
• Testified before U.S. Congress on apprenticeship systems and child support policies

Research Focus: Dr. Lerman's work examines intersections between family dynamics and economic outcomes, with emphasis on scaling apprenticeship models in the U.S. and globally. His recent studies analyze how family structures affect employment trajectories and asset accumulation among disadvantaged groups.

Awards: Recognized with the University Award for Academic Development for creating the MA in Financial Economics program, and honored with the prestigious McGraw Prize for educational innovation.