Ufuk Akcigit

Ufuk Akcigit serves as the Arnold C. Harberger Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago's Department of Economics. His key affiliations include:

• Research Professor and Head of the Research Group on The Economic Gap between East and West Germany at the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH)
• Co-director of the Growth Academy
• Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)
• Research Affiliate at the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

His research focuses on Economic Growth, Macroeconomics, Development Economics, and Economic History, with particular emphasis on long-term structural economic transformations. This is exemplified by his leadership in analyzing persistent economic disparities between former East and West Germany, reflecting his expertise in historical economic divergence and regional development dynamics.

At the IWH, Akcigit directs a dedicated research team investigating the drivers and consequences of the East-West German economic gap, contributing critical insights into institutional frameworks, innovation systems, and policy interventions that shape economic convergence processes.