The Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) at UChicago is pleased to announce Fernando Alvarez, Charles F. Grey Distinguished Service Professor in Economics and the College, as its inaugural director of BFI-Latin America.
The mission of BFI-Latin America is to serve as a platform to build on the legacy contributions of UChicago economists, to produce frontier research on the most challenging issues facing Latin American economies today, and to share those findings with the world. Through research partnerships with distinguished institutions in the region, BFI-Latin America will support research collaboration with leading economists in Latin America, and foster faculty and student exchanges between these institutions and the University of Chicago.
“Fernando is one of the leading economists of his generation, whose breadth of knowledge and insight never ceases to amaze. He will be a strong and innovative leader for BFI-Latin America,” said Michael Greenstone, Milton Friedman Distinguished Professor of Economics and Director of BFI. “I look forward to helping Fernando achieve his vision for how BFI can expand its work by fostering groundbreaking research on Latin America’s economies and ensuring that the findings are delivered to the public and decision makers in accessible and actionable forms.”
Originally from Argentina, Alvarez received his PhD from the University of Minnesota and has served on the University of Chicago faculty since 1996. His main area of research is macroeconomics, including specialization in asset pricing, labor economics, and monetary economics.
Alvarez is an Econometric Society Fellow, an Economic Theory Fellow, a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He has served as editor of the Journal of Political Economy, associate editor at other journals, and referee for top economic journals, and as a consultant for the Research Departments of the Federal Reserve of Minneapolis, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. He is a Visiting Researcher advising the Board of Directors of the Argentine Central Bank.
“I am honored to lead the Becker Friedman Institute’s work in Latin America, on behalf of the UChicago Economics community,” said Alvarez. “This is a crucial area of the global economy and the University of Chicago can build on its strong history of engagement and collaboration throughout the region.”
In March 2022, the Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) and BFI signed an academic collaboration agreement that aims to foster the exchange, production, and dissemination of research ideas focused on the most relevant issues in economic policy for Latin America. This is the first of several research partnerships underway for BFI in Latin America.
“With Fernando’s leadership, BFI will have a strategic agenda to promote the exchange, production, and dissemination of research focused on the most relevant economic issues for all Latin America,” said Erik Hurst, Frank P. and Marianne R. Diassi Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at Chicago Booth and Deputy Director of BFI. “He is a powerhouse in the economics community, and a perfect fit for this important role.”