Birgit Grodal facts for kids

Birgit Grodal was a very important economics professor from Denmark. She taught at the University of Copenhagen for many years. She worked there from 1968 until she passed away in 2004.

Growing Up

Birgit Grodal was born on June 24, 1943. She grew up in a city called Copenhagen in Denmark. She was the middle child in her family. She had both an older and a younger brother.

From a young age, Birgit loved mathematics. She even used to fill her psalm book with math problems! She was married to Torben Grodal.

Her Studies

Birgit Grodal went to the University of Copenhagen. She earned her first degree in mathematics and physics in 1962. Then, she got her master's degree in 1968.

She also earned her Ph.D. in mathematics there. A Ph.D. is the highest university degree you can get. Her special project for her Ph.D. was about "atomless economies." This project was so good that it won a gold medal! This award helped young scholars in Denmark at that time.

What She Studied

Birgit Grodal focused on several areas in economics. She studied micro-economic theory. This is about how individuals and businesses make decisions.

She also worked on mathematical economics. This field uses math to understand economic problems. Another area was general equilibrium theory. This looks at how all markets in an economy work together.

Her Career

Birgit Grodal was chosen to be the president of the European Economic Association. This is a big honor for an economist in Europe. Sadly, she passed away before she could start her presidency.

To remember her, the European Economic Association created an award in her name. This award celebrates female economists in Europe. It honors women who have made a big difference in economics.

Birgit Grodal was also a member of the Econometric Society. This is a group for people who use math and statistics in economics. She joined in 1981 and helped lead the group from 1997 to 2000.

The Birgit Grodal Award

The Birgit Grodal Award is given out every two years. It is a special prize given in her memory. The winner receives €10,000, which is a lot of money! Danmarks Nationalbank, which is Denmark's central bank, helped pay for the first three awards.

Here are some of the amazing women who have won the Birgit Grodal Award:

• 2012: Hélène Rey
• 2014: Rachel Griffith
• 2016: Lucrezia Reichlin
• 2018: Ekaterina Zhuravskaya
• 2020: Eliana La Ferrara