Samuel Kortum

Samuel Kortum is the James Burrows Moffatt Professor of Economics at Yale University and currently serves as Chair of the Department of Economics. He holds affiliations as a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and is a Fellow of the Econometric Society. Kortum's academic career includes roles at Boston University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Chicago before joining Yale in 2012. His research focuses on international economics, including climate policy, trade dynamics, innovation, and economic growth.

Education: B.A. from Wesleyan University (1983), Ph.D. in Economics from Yale (1992). He has received prestigious awards such as the Frisch Medal (2004) with Jonathan Eaton for their seminal work on trade and technology, and the Onassis Prize (2018). His editorial contributions include serving as editor of the Journal of Political Economy (2008–2012).

Research Interests: Kortum's work spans international trade, macroeconomics, climate policy design (e.g., carbon leakage solutions), and the interplay between innovation and economic growth. He has developed dynamic models analyzing global trade patterns, technology diffusion, and firm-level trade behavior. His recent work explores climate policy mechanisms to mitigate carbon leakage while maintaining competitiveness.

Key Contributions: He co-authored foundational papers like Technology, Geography, and Trade (2002) and pioneered frameworks linking trade to technological progress. Current projects address optimal carbon taxation, border adjustments, and unilateral climate policies.