Study In US: University Of York Alumnus Awarded Nobel Prize For Economics

Daron Acemoglu, an alumnus of the University of York, along with Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Economics.

University of York alumnus Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson have shared the Nobel Prize for Economics for their research work showing the significance of societal institutions on the prosperity of a country and also studied why there is a huge disparity in income of nations.

The study revealed that societies with poor institutes and rules of law which exploit their population are not able to grow or change for the better and the study helped in understanding the reasons behind it.

Professor Charlie Jeffery, Vice Chancellor of the University of York, said, “Led by academics at the forefront of world-leading research, our undergraduate degrees are designed to tackle the issues that matter on a local and global scale, equipping graduates with the skills to change society for the better. We are immeasurably proud of the distinguished career Professor Daron Acemoglu has gone on to build, and this recognition of his work, which has reshaped thinking on prosperity and equality, with the most prestigious of accolades –  a Nobel Prize.”

About University Of York Alumnus Daron Acemoglu

Currently, he is a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA. He was born in 1967 in Istanbul, Türkiye, and in 1989, at the University of York, he got his undergraduate degree in Economics and later completed a PhD at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Professor Michael Thornton, Head of  Economics and Related Studies at the University of York, said, "Economics has been at the heart of York's research and teaching since the University's foundation in 1963, and we are proud of our notable alumni, including Professor Daron Acemoğlu.

At a time when it was commonly thought that the wealth of nations depended on unchangeable differences in geography or culture, Professor Acemoğlu and his coauthors have shown that chance events often determine which institutions a society creates, and these chance events can then have long-lasting economic consequences.

Jakob Svensson, Chair of the Committee for the Prize in Economic Sciences, said: “Reducing the vast differences in income between countries is one of our time’s greatest challenges. The laureates have demonstrated the importance of societal institutions for achieving this.”

University of York Researchers Explore Forest School Benefits On Children's Mental Health

A research project by Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust and the University of York aims to collect evidence on whether Forest schools can improve the mental health of schoolchildren.

Co-lead researcher Dr Hannah Armitt, Clinical Research Psychologist at Humber NHS Teaching Foundation Trust and the Institute for Mental Health Research at the University of York, said, "There is a growing body of evidence which highlights how individuals who feel more connected with nature tend to experience greater happiness and a sense of purpose in life. However, many children currently have limited access to green spaces and the benefits they offer for play and connection with nature. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, with children from ethnic minority backgrounds and low-income households disproportionately affected."

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