James Heckman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Heckman
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| Born |
James Joseph Heckman
April 19, 1944 |
| Institution | University of Chicago University of Southern California Columbia University Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| Field | Microeconomics |
| School or tradition |
Chicago School of Economics |
| Alma mater | Colorado College (BA) Princeton University (PhD) |
| Doctoral advisor |
Harry H. Kelejian Stanley Warren Black |
| Doctoral students |
Carolyn Heinrich George Borjas Petra Todd Stephen Cameron Mark Rosenzweig Russ Roberts |
| Influences | Albert Rees Gary Becker Jacob Mincer |
| Contributions | Heckman correction |
| Awards | John Bates Clark Medal (1983) Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics (2000) Frisch Medal (2014) |
James Joseph Heckman (born April 19, 1944) is an American economist. He is a Nobel Prize winner and a professor at the University of Chicago. He is known for his important work in econometrics, which uses math and statistics to study economic data. He also works in microeconomics, which looks at how individuals and businesses make choices.
Heckman is famous for his ideas on selection bias and self-selection. These are problems that can happen when you study groups of people. His solution, called the Heckman correction, helped him win the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2000. He also does a lot of research on how helpful early childhood education programs are.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Heckman was born in Chicago, Illinois. He studied mathematics at Colorado College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1965. Later, he earned his Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 1971. His Ph.D. paper was about how people decide to work and what goods they want to buy.
His Career and Work
Heckman started his career as a professor at Columbia University. In 1973, he moved to the University of Chicago. There, he has guided more than 70 students who were writing their Ph.D. papers.
Professor Heckman holds many important positions at the University of Chicago. He is a professor in the economics department, the law school, and the public policy school. He also directs centers that study childhood development and how social programs work. He has also taught at other famous universities around the world, like University College London and Yale University.
Focus on Human Development
In 2014, Heckman started the Center for the Economics of Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Chicago. This center brings together his many research projects. The goal is to find the best ways to help people develop their skills and abilities throughout their lives. This includes looking at how early childhood programs can make a big difference.
Key Research Areas
Heckman's research helps us understand how economic policies affect people. He looks closely at how different groups of people make choices and how their unique situations matter. He has created new tools to study these complex issues.
His work has given policymakers new ideas about education and job training. For example, he showed that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 greatly helped African Americans make economic progress. He has also studied why some people drop out of high school.
The Importance of Early Childhood Education
A big part of his recent work focuses on how important early childhood education is. He believes that investing in young children can help reduce inequality and improve lives. He has shown that things like being conscientious (meaning diligent, persistent, and self-disciplined) are more important for financial success than just having a high IQ.
Heckman has written over 300 articles and several books. He also helps edit the Journal of Political Economy, a major economics magazine. He is a member of important groups like the United States National Academy of Sciences.
Awards and Recognition
James Heckman has received many awards for his groundbreaking work.
- In 1983, he won the John Bates Clark Medal. This award is given to an American economist under 40 who has made a significant contribution.
- In 2000, he shared the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
- He also received the Frisch Medal in 2014.
- In 2016, he won the Dan David Prize for his work on fighting poverty.
Personal Life
James Heckman married sociologist Lynne Pettler-Heckman in 1979. She passed away in 2017. They had two children: a son, Jonathan, who is a physicist, and a daughter, Alma, who is a history professor.
See also
In Spanish: James Heckman para niños
- List of economists
