Nobel Laureate Eric Maskin Discusses Mechanism Design

Eric S. Maskin, Albert O. Hirschman Professor in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study, and recipient of the 2007 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, will present a lecture titled Mechanism Design: How to Implement Social Goals on Friday, May 2, at 6:00 p.m. in Wolfensohn Hall on the Institute's campus.

Professor Maskin shared the Nobel Prize with Leonid Hurwicz and Roger Myerson for his work in Mechanism Design Theory. This is the study of how, given an economic or social goal, we can design a procedure or institution (that is, a mechanism) for achieving that goal. In this lecture, he will give an introduction to mechanism design using several simple examples. The lecture is nontechnical and suitable for a general audience.

Professor Maskin joined the Faculty at the Institute in 2000. He received his A.B. in 1972, his A.M. in 1974 and his Ph.D. in 1976, all from Harvard University. A Research Fellow at Jesus College, Cambridge in 1976-77, Maskin taught at M.I.T. from 1977 to 1984. In 1985, he moved to Harvard University, and was named Louis Berkman Professor of Economics in 1997.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society, Maskin is also a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy and an Honorary Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. He is a past President of the Econometric Society and was named Honorary Professor at Wuhan and Tsinghua Universities. He has served as Editor of The Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economics Letters. His work in economic theory has had a deep influence on many areas of economics, political science and law.

For further information about this event, which is free and open to the public, please call (609) 734-8175, or visit the Public Events page on the Institute website, www.ias.edu.