Rebecca Blank

Rebecca Blank is a renowned American economist and academic administrator, known for her work as the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, and Acting Secretary of Commerce under President Barack Obama. Her expertise spans various fields, including labor economics, poverty, and public policy, with notable contributions to the National Bureau of Economic Research and the American Economic Association. Blank's academic background includes degrees from University of Minnesota, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley, where she studied under prominent economists like George Akerlof and David Card. Her research has been influenced by scholars such as Joseph Stiglitz, Amartya Sen, and Gary Becker.

● Early Life and Education

Rebecca Blank was born in Missouri and grew up in a family that valued education and public service, with her parents being University of Missouri graduates. She pursued her undergraduate degree in economics at the University of Minnesota, where she was exposed to the works of Milton Friedman and John Maynard Keynes. Blank then moved to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for her graduate studies, working under the guidance of Frank Levy and Richard Freeman. Her time at MIT was marked by interactions with notable economists like Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, and Daron Acemoglu. Blank's academic journey also took her to the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her Ph.D. in economics and was influenced by scholars such as George Akerlof and David Card.

● Career

Blank's career has been marked by her work in various prestigious institutions, including the University of Michigan, where she served as the Dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Her tenure was characterized by collaborations with scholars like Susan Collins, Alan Deardorff, and Marina Whitman. Blank has also held positions at the National Bureau of Economic Research, working alongside economists such as Martin Feldstein and Robert Hall. Her expertise in labor economics and public policy has been sought by organizations like the Brookings Institution, the Urban Institute, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Blank's work has been influenced by policymakers like Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, and Janet Yellen, and she has contributed to the development of policies related to poverty reduction, education reform, and economic growth.

● Chancellor of

the University of Wisconsin–Madison As the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Blank has been instrumental in shaping the university's academic and research agenda, with a focus on interdisciplinary research and community engagement. Her leadership has been marked by collaborations with institutions like the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, and the Morgridge Institute for Research. Blank has worked closely with scholars like Charles Snowdon, Judith Burstyn, and Paul Barford to promote innovation and entrepreneurship on campus. Her tenure has also seen the establishment of new programs and initiatives, such as the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery and the UniverCity Alliance, which aim to foster economic development and social mobility in the region.

● Research and Publications

Blank's research has focused on topics like poverty, inequality, and labor market outcomes, with a particular emphasis on the experiences of women and minority groups. Her work has been published in leading journals such as the American Economic Review, the Journal of Economic Perspectives, and the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Blank has also contributed to books like The Oxford Handbook of Economic Inequality and The Economics of Poverty, edited by scholars like Timothy Smeeding and Jeffrey Sachs. Her research has been influenced by the work of economists like Amartya Sen, Joseph Stiglitz, and Angus Deaton, and she has collaborated with scholars like David Autor, Lawrence Katz, and Joshua Angrist.

● Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Blank has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to economics and public policy. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and has been recognized by organizations like the National Academy of Social Insurance and the American Economic Association. Blank has also received awards like the Carolyn Shaw Bell Award and the Richard A. Lester Award for her work on labor economics and poverty reduction. Her leadership and service have been acknowledged by institutions like the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and she has been honored by policymakers like President Barack Obama and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Category:American economists