Departmental Awards

Scholastic Awards

College Prize for Excellence

The College Prize for Excellence in Economics recognizes outstanding scholastic performance by undergraduate students in economics. It is awarded to one or more students who demonstrate great achievement in economics, commitment to the field, and a deep passion for learning. The recipients are selected by the Director of Undergraduate Studies in consultation with the faculty and the award is funded by the College of Arts & Sciences.

2023: Alexandra Powell
2022: Alex Blumenfeld and Erika Lee
2021: Elizabeth Chiffer and Cordelia Theseira
2020: Samantha Shampine
2019: Jessie Wang
2018: Juliahna Green
2017: Devon Flanagan, Caroline Margiotta, A.J. Callis, Andrew Keuler, Solomon Tarlin
2016: Cameron Fowler, Kimberly Lu, Michael Clawar
2015: Sirui Feng, Malcolm Kapuza, Dan Zhu
2014: Guy Aridor, Calvin Chiu, Jessika Smith
2013: Sam Leone, Caitlin Outterson, Daniella Sehgal
2012: Andrea Dacka, Shawn Musgrave, Ryan Ruikka
2011: Michael Clancy
2010: Jeanna Simeone
2009: Justin Ladner and Krystal Tan
2008: Alex Blocker
2007: Dana Rotz
2006: Kaiwen Leong and Laura Diane Shiers
2005: Stephen Miran
2004: Timothy Manion
1995: Antje Dorothea Siems
1993: Alicia C. Halligan
1992: Eyal Elkon and Elizabeth Wong

Prize for Academic Excellence in the Economics Master’s Program

The Prize for Academic Excellence in the Economics Master’s Program was established in 2014 by generous donations from Economics alumni Randy Cohen (BA/MA 2007), Brian Herr (BA 1999), Michael Kheyfets (BA/MA 2007), and Michelle Meyer (BA/MA 2004). This prize recognizes outstanding academic performance by students in the Department of Economics master’s programs. The award winners are selected by the Director of the Master’s Program in consultation with faculty.

2023: Hua-Ke (Kate) Chi, Isabel Mullens, & Gabriel Rourke
2022: Michael Brian Toolan
2021: Dehua Deng and Tomomi Sakurai (sharing MA Prize for Academic Excellence) & Danielle Victoria Aron and Hannah Sedlet Sherseth (sharing MA Prize for Academic Excellence and Outstanding Service)
2020: Nikhil Kumar, Tomoki Ogasa, & Hyun Soo Suh
2019: Zixing Guo and Marybeth Train (sharing MA Prize for Overall Performance), Yosuke Higashiyama, Liang Zhong (sharing MA Prize for Best Paper)
2018: Franco Maldonado and Liu Zhang
2017: Subbhash Bharadwaj Pemmaraju, Zitong Zhang
2016: Sinying Chua, Chen Gao
2015: Teerapat Jirasirikul (overall academic performance); Yiming Cao & Guangzhi Ye (joint research paper: “The Effect of the Poverty-County Transfer Program in China”)
2014: Xiao Yang, Beixi Zhou

Special PhD Stipend for MA Graduates

Beginning in 2014, this award provides a summer stipend for the top graduate of a BU Economics master’s program who enters the BU Economics PhD program. The recipient is chosen by the PhD admissions committee and the Director of the Master’s Program, in consultation with faculty. The award is funded by a generous donation by the family of an MA alumnus.

2023: Artem Vyshinsky
2022: Aron Malatinszky
2021: Felix Martin Martinez Palomino
2020: Zixing Guo
2019: Xuan Li
2018: Eric Donald
2017: Duoxi Li
2016: Yiming Cao
2015: Xiaoxi Zhao
2014: Youming Liu

Faculty Teaching & Advising Awards

Gitner Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

The Gitner Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching is funded by a generous contribution from Gerald (CAS, 1966) and Deanne Gitner. This award recognizes exemplary undergraduate teaching by faculty in the Department of Economics. The award winners are selected by a committee appointed by the Department Chair.

2023: Stefania Garetto
2022: Martin Fiszbein
2021: Robert Margo
2020: Juan Ortner
2019: James Feigenbaum
2018: Raymond Fisman
2017: Martin Fiszbein
2016: Robert Lucas
2015: John Harris
2014: Michael Manove
2013: Kevin Lang
2012: Todd Idson
2011: Wes Yin
2010: Hsueh-Ling Huynh
2009: Dilip Mookherjee
2008: Regina Cati
2007: Adrien Verdelhan
2006: Sujata Visaria
2005: Hsueh-Ling Huynh
2004: Barton Lipman
2003: Todd Idson
2002: Claudia Olivetti
2001: Russell Cooper
2000: Marc Rysman
1999: Daniel Ackerberg
1998: Pankaj Tandon
1997: Peter Doeringer
1996: Debraj Ray
1995: Pankaj Tandon
1994: Robert Lucas
1993: Michael Manove

Neu Family Award for Teaching Excellence in Economics

The Neu Family Award for Teaching Excellence in Economics is funded by a generous contribution from Richard (CAS, 1961) and Amy (Economics, 1996) Neu through the Neu Foundation. It is awarded to a faculty member who demonstrates true excellence in teaching and a strong commitment to working successfully with undergraduate students in the Department of Economics. The award winners are selected by a committee appointed by the Department Chair.

2023: Andre Switala
2022: Ishita Dey
2021: Stacey Gelsheimer
2020: Stephen Terry
2019: Johannes Schmieder
2018: Bahar Erbas
2017: Benjamin Koskinen
2016: Ivan Fernandez-Val
2015: Albert Ma
2014: Robert Margo
2013: Jordi Jaumandreu
2012: Marc Rysman
2011: Bruce Watson
2010: Joshua Lustig
2009: Daniele Paserman
2008: Jawwad Noor
2007: Greg Pavlov
2006: Marc Rysman
2005: Guido Kuersteiner
2004: Pierre Perron
2003: Hsueh-Ling Huynh
2002: Kevin Lang
2001: John Leahy
2000: Linda Bui
1999: Maristella Botticini
1998: Stephen Donald
1997: Michael Manove
1996: Leroy Jones

Graduate Advisor of the Year

The Graduate Advisor of the Year is awarded annually to recognize outstanding advisory work by a faculty member. The Graduate Economics Association organizes voting by the Economics PhD students in order to select the recipient. The PhD students are asked to consider the faculty member’s willingness to make time for students, helpfulness with research, general support and guidance for students, as well as any other criteria the students think is important.

2020: Stephen Terry
2019: Sam Bazzi
2018: Kevin Lang
2017: Michael Manove
2016: Hiroaki Kaido
2015: Dilip Mookherjee
2014: Zhongjun Qu
2013: Jianjun Miao
2012: Claudia Olivetti
2011: François Gourio
2010: Barton Lipman
2009: Daniele Paserman
2008: Robert King
2007: Barton Lipman
2006: Dilip Mookherjee