Economics

Amy Finkelstein, Lisa Parks win 2018 MacArthur Fellowships

Health care economist and media studies scholar are the latest MIT faculty to nab prestigious “genius grant.”

October 4, 2018

To date, 19 pathway institutions in 11 countries offer 58 different pathways to a master’s degree.

MITx MicroMasters adds new pathways to master’s degrees

Learners from around the globe now have enhanced access to “blended” master’s programs at MIT and elsewhere.

October 1, 2018

“It’s a fantastic place. It’s the center of innovation,” Professor David Thesmar says about MIT. “It’s something you feel very strongly when you come here, the energy around campus. People are very serious about the progression of academic science.”

Does free flow of capital make the economy more efficient?

David Thesmar studies what happens when the finance sector shakes up the whole economy.

September 26, 2018

Applications for second offering of the ReACT Computer and Data Science Program are now open.

New learning opportunities for displaced persons

Now accepting applications for new students, MIT ReACT Hub launched its first program in Jordan earlier this year with a certificate in computer and data science.

September 21, 2018

MIT political scientist In Song Kim has overseen the launch of LobbyView.org, a website that connects the activities of lobbyists, firms, and politicians, so that people “can understand how legislative politics [actually] works in the U.S.,” as Kim puts it.

3 Questions: Database shines a bright light on Washington lobbying

Launch of In Song Kim’s LobbyView.org makes it simple to follow the path of money in politics.

September 13, 2018

J-PAL North America will partner with the Sacramento-based California Franchise Tax Board to evaluate the impact of strategies to encourage households to file for the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC).

J-PAL North America announces new partnerships with three state and local governments

New partners will work with J-PAL and its academic researcher network to develop randomized evaluations of programs and policies.

September 6, 2018

New MIT research shows that, unless steady, continuous carbon-free sources of electricity are included in the mix, costs of decarbonizing the electrical system could be prohibitive and end up derailing attempts to mitigate the most severe effects of global climate change.

Study: Adding power choices reduces cost and risk of carbon-free electricity

To curb greenhouse gas emissions, nations, states, and cities should aim for a mix of fuel-saving, flexible, and highly reliable sources.

September 6, 2018

Matthias Winkenbach, research associate in the Center for Transportation and Logistics and director of the Megacities Logistics Lab, is helping companies answer questions like how many satellite facilities are needed, where they should be located, and what their function should be to optimize delivery systems.

E-commerce spurs innovation in last-mile logistics

As delivery logistics become more challenging with expanding e-commerce, planners such as Matthias Winkenbach are offering solutions.

September 4, 2018

Amy Glasmeier, professor of economic geography and regional planning in the School of Architecture and Planning, developed the popular Living Wage Calculator.

Putting the Living Wage Calculator into action

Corporations and nonprofits are applying the popular MIT online tool to shape policy and set wages.

August 21, 2018

J-PAL teaching assistants and program participants discuss how to design randomized evaluations in real-world settings.

Learning to evaluate social programs

Flagship J-PAL course teaches policy leaders how, why, and when to evaluate social programs ranging from antiviolence interventions to housing mobility initiatives.

August 16, 2018