Chetty Named Professor of Economics

Cambridge, Mass. March 30, 2009 - Raj Chetty, a public economist whose work focuses on social insurance and tax policy, has been appointed professor of economics in Harvard University's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, effective April 1, 2009. "Raj Chetty is a distinguished scholar who has made significant contributions to the study of public finance, social insurance, and taxation," says Stephen Kosslyn, dean of social science in FAS. "These are areas of immense importance right now, and he will be a great asset to the Department of Economics. Without question his work will be of continuing relevance in our current economic landscape." Chetty has published papers in leading journals on a wide range of topics related to government policy. One recent study focuses on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a $50 billion program that gives low income individuals in the U.S. cash subsidies to work more. Because the program is very complex, many individuals do not know that increasing their earnings will increase the amount of the money they get from the government.