Drawing upon over 45 years of professional experience in economics and academia, Dr. Robert A. Becker commenced his career as a student at Washington University at St. Louis, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1972. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he attended the University of Rochester in New York, earning a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1975 and 1978, respectively.
While studying toward his doctorate, Dr. Becker joined the faculty at Indiana University Bloomington in 1976, where he served as a lecturer for two years. Subsequently, he served as an assistant professor of economics from 1978 to 1983 and an associate professor of economics from 1983 to 1987. Since 1987, Dr. Becker has excelled as a professor of economics. During his tenure with the university, he also thrived as the chairman of the department of economics between 1996 and 2002. Additionally, he was the executive associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 2006.
A grantee of the National Science Foundation between 1986 and 1988 and of Resources for the Future in Washington, D.C., in 1979, Dr. Becker has lent his expertise to articles in professional journals. He co-authored the book “Capital Theory of Equilibrium Analysis and Recursive Utility” in 1997 and served as an associate editor of the Econometrica from 1999 to 2005. He also serves on the scientific board of the Center for Information and Bubble Studies. To this end, he is most revered for writing the seminal article on Ramsey’s Conjecture on Long-Run Steady States of Growth Models. Furthermore, Dr. Becker developed methods for solving tax distorted dynamic equilibrium models and formal linkages between descriptive and optimal growth theories.
Among the many highlights of his career, Dr. Becker is especially proud of the success he has encountered with his doctoral students. He initially became involved in his profession after completing an economics course in college, having originally contemplated a career in engineering. To wit, Dr. Becker found that he enjoyed the mathematical and social scientific aspects of economics, leading to his discovery that the discipline has profoundly impacted society. Moreover, he is gratified by his co authorship of his book with one of his former doctoral students in 1997 and a related survey article, which greatly influenced the Spanish-speaking world.
As a testament to his success, Dr. Becker was highlighted in several Who’s Who publications, including Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Finance and Business, and Who’s Who in American Education.