Department of Economics - Faculty of Social Science
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Department of Economics
Department of Economics
François Bourguignon receives the 2026 Revue économique Prize - Paris School of Economics
Western University proudly congratulates alumnus François Bourguignon, who earned his PhD in Economics from Western in 1975, on receiving the 2026 Revue économique Prize from the Paris School of Economics. This distinction recognizes his outstanding scholarly contributions and lasting impact on economics, particularly in the areas of inequality, poverty, and development. His remarkable achievement reflects both an exceptional academic career and a legacy of rigorous, influential research.
Honorary Western Economics professor & alum Peter Howitt, MA‘69, wins Nobel Prize in Economics
Peter Howitt is a distinguished Canadian economist whose work has reshaped how scholars understand economic growth. A recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economics, awarded alongside Joel Mokyr and Philippe Aghion, he was recognized for his foundational work on creative destruction, a theory explaining how innovation drives long-run economic growth by replacing outdated technologies and industries. Howitt earned his master’s degree in economics from Western University in 1969 and spent more than two decades on the Department of Economics faculty (1972 to 1996), where much of the Nobel-recognized research took shape. He later held senior academic appointments at Ohio State University and Brown University, where he is professor emeritus, and remains closely connected to Western as an honorary professor.
© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Nanaka Adachi
Strengthening Connections: Annual Economics Department Meet and Greet
The Economics Department held our annual fall Meet and Greet event on Wednesday October 1st. The fall Meet and Greet brings together faculty and students in a relaxed atmosphere for pizza and lively conversation. This year we had twelve faculty and more than forty students turn out. The event was a great start to the academic year and reflects the department's longstanding commitment to student engagement.
Congratulations to Our Faculty Members
Economics Department Professors Receive $950,000 in Research Grants
Professors from the Economics Department received 6 Insight Grants and 4 Insight Development Grants from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada to advance research in multiple areas of economics in the coming years. These grants amount to almost one million dollars in research funds over the next 5 years that will support the research mission at Western Economics.
We are proud of our faculty and their continuous dedication to conduct the highest quality research, and we are fortunate to count with the support of the SSHRC of Canada.
Undergraduate Program
Graduate Program
Master of Financial Economics Program
Governor's Challenge Team
Congratulations to this year's Governor's Challenge team, which won in their group in the first round of the competition. They will proceed to the final round in Ottawa, at the Bank of Canada in February. There were 29 teams in the first round, and the Western Economics team will be in a group of 5 finalists. The team consists of: Kaan Alpli, Lis Hoxha, Andrew Kerr, Sofia Tischler Alternate: Ronan Mahaffy Faculty Advisor: Steve Williamson
Accessibility
The Department of Economics at Western University encourages visitors to the department and its website to contact economics@uwo.ca should they require any information presented on this web site in an alternate format. The Department of Economics in conjunction with the Faculty of Social Science is committed to ensure barrier free access. Please visit Accessibility at Social Science for more information.