Dr. Kirabo Jackson
Kirabo Jackson is the Abraham Harris Professor of Human Development and Social Policy and a Professor of Economics at Northwestern University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University in 1998 and completed his doctorate in economics at Harvard University in 2007. He began his academic career as an assistant professor of labor economics at Cornell University (2007–2010) before moving to Northwestern University.
As a labor economist specializing in education and social policy, Jackson’s research has been influential in many areas. He is best known for his work demonstrating the long-term impact of public school funding on student outcomes, developing innovative methods to evaluate educational interventions beyond standardized test scores, and exploring how teachers and teacher labor markets shape student success. His research has been published in leading economics journals and supported by major organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Smith Richardson Foundation, and the Gates Foundation.
Jackson served as co-editor of the *Journal of Human Resources* from 2014 to 2019 and subsequently joined the *American Economic Journal: Economic Policy* as co-editor, later becoming editor-in-chief in 2022. He was appointed by President Biden as one of the three members of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, serving from July 2023 to October 2024.
His contributions to policy analysis were recognized with the David N. Kershaw Award and Prize from the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) in 2020. That same year, he was elected to the National Academy of Education. In 2022, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for his excellence and leadership in education policy.