Irma Adelman - Economist Card and Autograph
This week we feature Irma Adelman. She was one of the few economists to sign her economist card on the backside. She also gave me some advice for graduate school: Persistence, imagination, a sense of problem, and a lot of hard work.
Irma Adelman was a pioneering economist whose work significantly impacted the field of development economics. Born on March 14, 1930, in Chernivtsi, Romania, to a Jewish family, Adelman's early life was marked by upheaval. In 1939, fleeing the Nazi regime, her family moved to British Palestine (later Israel), where she completed her school education.
Academic Journey and Career
Adelman's academic journey began when she emigrated to the United States in 1949 to attend the University of California, Berkeley. There, she earned her BA in Business Administration in 1950, followed by her MA and Ph.D. in Economics in 1951 and 1955, respectively. Despite facing considerable discrimination as a female academic, Adelman persevered, holding various non-tenure appointments before securing permanent positions.
Her career included professorships at several prestigious institutions:
Johns Hopkins University (1962-1965)
Northwestern University (1966-1972)
University of Maryland (1972-1978)
University of California, Berkeley (1979-1994, then Professor Emeritus)
Major Contributions
Adelman made numerous groundbreaking contributions to economics:
1. Pioneering Econometric Work: She confirmed Ragnar Frisch's theory of business cycles through simulation of the Klein-Goldberger model.
2. Hedonic Pricing: Adelman developed a creative methodology for computing price indices, introducing the concept of hedonic pricing.
3. Interdisciplinary Approach: She championed the integration of sociology, psychology, anthropology, and political science into economic analysis.
4. Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Models: Adelman created pioneering large-scale CGE models, which became essential tools for policy planning worldwide.
5. Development Economics: Her work emphasized the importance of income distribution, human capital, and institutional factors in economic growth.
6. Policy Contributions: Adelman's work in South Korea significantly influenced the country's economic development strategy.
Recognition and Legacy
Adelman's contributions were widely recognized:
Received the Order of the Bronze Tower from South Korean President Park Chung-hee in 1972.
Considered for the Nobel Prize in Economics.
Awarded the Berkeley Citation for her contributions to the University of California, Berkeley.
Irma Adelman's work continues to influence economic thinking, particularly in the areas of development economics, poverty reduction, and the use of interdisciplinary approaches in economic analysis. Her legacy as a pioneer for women in economics and her advocacy for a more holistic approach to economic development remain significant in the field today.
Next week we feature an economist who sent me a typewritten letter.
Have a great weekend and please send me any questions about college admissions.
Jake