Torsten Persson appointed Vice President of the ERC’s Scientific Council

In addition to being a Professor at the IIES, Persson is also a Centennial Professor at the London School of Economics, and has held visiting positions at leading institutions such as Harvard, Berkeley and Princeton. His research spans several areas of economics and its intersections with social sciences, with seminal contributions in political economics. For instance, in recent research he has theoretically explored how cultural values interact with political institutions over time, and empirically investigated how the abilities of people selected for political office compare with those of the entire population, and how closely they represent different demographic and social groups.

Throughout his career, Persson has combined academic excellence with public engagement, serving on national commissions during economic crises and leading multidisciplinary work on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also held prominent leadership roles in the economics profession, as president of the European Economic Association and the Econometric Society. Further, he has received numerous distinctions including the Yrjö Jahnsson Medal and the BBVA Frontiers of Science Award.

"It's hard not to say yes to this task in Europe's leading organization to support curiosity-driven basic research -- especially in view of the global turbulence around research policy and research funding," says Torsten Persson.

In his new role at the ERC, Persson will help shape strategy and governance for Europe’s premier funding body for frontier research, supporting excellence across disciplines, while continuing his own research.

Read more on the ERC’s web.