Aditya Goenka

Professor Aditya Goenka serves as Chair in Economics and Co-director of PhD Studies at the Department of Economics, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. He leads the Economic Theory research group and holds editorial positions at Economic Modelling and International Journal of Economic Theory, having recently co-edited a special issue of Journal of Mathematical Economics on economics of pandemics.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Economics from Cornell University (1991)
• MS in Economics from Cornell University (1989)
• BA from St. Xavier's College, University of Bombay (1985)

As a pioneering economic theorist, Professor Goenka specializes in economic epidemiology and dynamic general equilibrium modeling of real-world problems. His research bridges general equilibrium theory, economic fluctuations, and non-linear dynamics to address critical issues including infectious disease control, economic growth, climate change, and macroeconomic stabilization. He developed foundational models of disease-economy interactions well before the Covid-19 pandemic, establishing himself as one of the first economists to apply dynamic general equilibrium approaches to this field. This expertise led to his appointment as the only academic economist advising the UK Government on a permanent basis for Covid containment policies.

His publication record demonstrates a clear evolution from theoretical work on sunspot equilibria and self-fulfilling economic fluctuations toward increasingly applied research addressing global challenges. Recent work shows particular emphasis on modeling pandemic responses with considerations for waning immunity, economic implications of disease dynamics, and intersections between environmental factors and economic outcomes. His interdisciplinary approach combines sophisticated mathematical techniques with practical policy applications.

Professor Goenka has supervised 12 PhD students as primary supervisor and served on the supervisory committees for 11 additional PhD students, currently mentoring two doctoral candidates. His academic leadership includes reforming PhD programs at University of Essex and National University of Singapore into 4-year integrated structures and developing new MSc programs. He has advised multiple governments and international organizations, including the UK Government on Covid policy, Singapore on money lending regulations, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

As an active member of the international economics community, he has organized over 20 conferences and workshops and served on program committees for major associations including the Royal Economic Society and the Society for Advancement of Economic Theory. His global academic engagement spans teaching positions in USA, Singapore, Mexico, and Vietnam, along with research visits to institutions worldwide.