Obama Economics Adviser Returns to Chicago Booth

Austan Goolsbee will return to the faculty of the University of Chicago Booth School of

Business this fall after completing his service as chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, the school announced today (June 7).

Goolsbee, a professor of economics, spent 14 years on the Chicago Booth faculty before joining the Obama Administration.  “Austan’s courses were popular with our M.B.A. students before he went to Washington and I suspect they will be even more popular now,” said Sunil Kumar, dean of Chicago Booth in a statement. “We are delighted to have him back.”

“Since I first ran for the U.S. Senate, Austan has been a close friend and one of my most trusted advisers,” President Obama said in news release from the White House announcing Goolsbee’s return to Booth.  “Over the past several years, he has helped steer our country out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and although there is still much work ahead, his insights and counsel have helped lead us toward an economy that is growing and creating millions of jobs.  He is one of America’s great economic thinkers.”

In addition to serving as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Goolsbee was a staff economist for the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory board, where he helped guide the Administration’s response to the economic crisis.  He has also worked as a senior adviser to the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, serving as an important link with the business community.   Under his leadership, the CEA focused on policies related to small business, education, innovation and competition, which are essential to ensuring long-term economic growth, according to the White House announcement.

At Chicago Booth, Goolsbee has taught M.B.A. courses in microeconomics, strategy in the information economy, and the economics and policy of the telecom, media and technology industries.