Susan M. Collins (economist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Susan M. Collins
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| President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | |
| Assumed office July 1, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Eric S. Rosengren |
| Provost of the University of Michigan | |
| In office 2020–2022 |
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| Preceded by | Martin Philbert |
| Succeeded by | Laurie McCauley |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1958/1959 (age 66–67) Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Spouse | Donald Vereen |
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| Education | Harvard University (BA) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Harvard University Georgetown University University of Michigan Brookings Institution |
| Thesis | Devaluations, Fixed Exchange Rates and Credibility Crises (1984) |
Susan M. Collins, born in 1958 or 1959, is an important American economist. Since July 1, 2022, she has been the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. This is a big deal because she is the first African American woman and the first woman of color to lead any of the 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks in the United States. Before this, she was a top leader at the University of Michigan from 2020 to 2022.
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Early Life and Education
Susan Collins was born in Scotland, United Kingdom. Her family is from Jamaica. She grew up in New York City and later became a U.S. citizen.
She went to Harvard University and graduated in 1980 with a degree in economics. She earned top honors, known as summa cum laude. In 1984, she received her PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Career Highlights
Collins has taught economics at several well-known universities. These include Harvard University, Georgetown University, and the University of Michigan.
From 1989 to 1990, she worked for the President's Council of Economic Advisers. This group helps the U.S. President make smart decisions about the economy. In 2001, she was a visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund. This is an organization that helps countries around the world with their money matters.
From 2007 to 2017, she was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. This is a research group that studies public policy. After moving to Michigan, she continued to work with them as a nonresident senior fellow.
She also served on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. She was on this board from 2013 until 2022.
Leadership at the University of Michigan
At the University of Michigan, Susan Collins is a professor of public policy and economics. She was the dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy from 2007 to 2017. A dean is a leader of a specific school or college within a university.
In January 2020, Collins became the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan. This means she was in charge of all academic programs and teaching at the university. She stepped down from this role in June 2022. The university recognized her hard work with a special award called a Regents' Citation of Honor.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Student Strike
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Susan Collins was involved in discussions about how the University of Michigan should reopen safely. In September 2020, some graduate students at the university went on strike. They were worried about how the university was handling the pandemic and wanted a safer environment.
As the chief academic officer, Collins worked to find a solution with the students. She also asked students not to stop campus activities. She explained that the strike might not be legal because it wasn't directly about "wages, hours, or working conditions." However, the students felt it was about their safety at work, which was part of their agreement with the university.
In a public meeting on September 15, 2020, Collins admitted that the university's response to the pandemic "had not done nearly as well as we needed to." This showed her commitment to addressing the students' concerns.
Leading the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
In February 2022, Susan Collins was chosen for a very important job. She became the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. She officially started this role on July 1, 2022. This was a historic moment because she is the first woman of color to lead any of the 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks.
Selected Publications
Susan Collins has written many important papers on economics. Here are a few examples:
- Bosworth, Barry, and Susan M. Collins. "Accounting for growth: comparing China and India." Journal of Economic Perspectives 22, no. 1 (2008): 45–66.
- Collins, Susan M., Barry P. Bosworth, and Dani Rodrik. "Economic growth in East Asia: accumulation versus assimilation." Brookings papers on economic activity 1996, no. 2 (1996): 135–203.
- Collins, Susan M. "On becoming more flexible: Exchange rate regimes in Latin America and the Caribbean." Journal of Development Economics 51, no. 1 (1996): 117–138.
