Ernst Fehr

Ernst Fehr serves as Professor in Microeconomics and Experimental Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Computer Science, University of Zurich, Switzerland, a position he has held since 1994. He currently directs the UBS International Center of Economics in Society at the University of Zurich (since 2012) and maintains an affiliation as faculty member with MIT's Department of Economics.

His academic career progression includes:

• 1994-present: Professor in Microeconomics and Experimental Economics at University of Zurich
• 2012-present: Director of UBS International Center of Economics in Society
• 2005-2012: Director of Priority Research Program on Foundations of Human Social Behavior
• 1991-1994: Associate Professor at University of Technology in Vienna
• 1989-1991: Assistant Professor at University of Technology in Vienna

Professor Fehr's research integrates experimental methods with game theory to explore human social behavior, with particular focus on altruism, social preferences, and the neurobiological underpinnings of economic decision-making. His interdisciplinary approach draws from economics, neuroscience, psychology, sociology and biology to examine how social norms and strategic interactions shape human behavior.

His publication record features numerous articles in premier journals including Science, Nature, Neuron, American Economic Review, Econometrica, Journal of Political Economy and Quarterly Journal of Economics, demonstrating consistent high-impact contributions across economics and neuroscience disciplines.

Major recognitions include:

• Multiple honorary doctorates from leading European universities
• Prestigious research prizes including the Gottlieb Duttweiler Prize and Marcel Benoit Prize
• Presidencies of both the European Economic Association and Economic Science Association
• Election to the Academia Europaea
• Honorary memberships in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

As director of the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, Professor Fehr leads a significant research program that has evolved substantially over decades, demonstrating how foundational research on human social behavior can develop from initial experimental findings into a comprehensive theoretical framework.

His research center serves as an interdisciplinary hub connecting economists with neuroscientists, psychologists, and sociologists to investigate the biological and social foundations of economic behavior through innovative experimental methodologies.