Esther Duflo Named 2026 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize Recipient
The AAPSS honors the Nobel laureate economist for a career using research and evidence to fight poverty and shape public policy worldwide.
Huge congratulations to Esther Duflo, Lemann Foundation Professor in Economics at our department, who has just been named recipient of the 2026 Daniel Patrick Moynihan Prize by The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS)!
Esther Duflo is an acclaimed economist best known for her work on the microeconomics of economic development and the use of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the causal effects of social interventions.
The Moynihan Prize is awarded annually to a leading policymaker, social scientist, or public intellectual whose career demonstrates the value of using research and evidence to inform public policy and improve the human condition. Named in honor of the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, it carries forward his legacy of public service informed by intellectual engagement and scholarship.
"Esther Duflo's research has deepened our understanding of how poverty and inequality can be reduced and helped shape policies to improve economic outcomes around the world," said AAPSS President Sheldon Danziger. "Her studies of the effects of policy interventions on economic, educational, and health outcomes have guided the development of policies and programs that improve the well-being of those in greatest need. The Academy is honored to recognize Professor Duflo with the Moynihan Prize."
Esther Duflo is codirector of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at MIT and Chair of Poverty and Public Policy at the Collège de France. In 2019, she was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences together with Abhijit Banerjee and Michael Kremer for introducing a new experimental approach to fighting global poverty. Duflo was previously honored as the AAPSS's 2016 Sir Arthur Lewis Fellow.
"I am deeply honored to receive the Moynihan Prize and to join such distinguished colleagues and advocates," said Duflo. "I'm grateful for this recognition of the work we do together with governments and communities." Duflo will accept the Moynihan Prize and deliver the thirteenth annual Moynihan Lecture on Social Science and Public Policy in Washington, DC, in early 2027.
Congratulations, a fitting tribute to a truly remarkable career!
Website Esther Duflo
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