Authority control databases
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
Ben Polak | |
|---|---|
| Provost of Yale University | |
| In office 2013–2020 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Salovey |
| Succeeded by | Scott Strobel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 22, 1961 |
| Education | Trinity College, Cambridge (BA) Northwestern University (MA) Harvard University (PhD) |
| Nationality | British |
| Children | 3[3] |
| Awards | DeVane Medal (2005) for teaching[1] |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | decision theory, game theory and economic history |
| Institutions | New Economic School University of Melbourne Yale University |
| Thesis | Problems from the history of capital markets (1992) |
| Doctoral advisor | Jeffrey G. Williamson[2] |
Benjamin "Ben" Polak (born 22 December 1961) is a British professor of economics and management and former Provost at Yale University. From 1999 to 2001 Polak was the Henry Kohn Associate Professor of Economics[4][5] and is now the inaugural William C. Brainard Professor of Economics.[6] In January 2013, he became the Provost of Yale University.[7]
Polak specialises in microeconomic theory, has published 19 peer-reviewed papers in leading journals, and is Associate editor of the Journal of Economic Theory.
In 2021 it was reported that Polak was responsible for Yale's decision to terminate the Yale Boswell Editions project, founded in 1949.[8]
In fall 2007, Polak participated in the Open Yale Courses initiative, recording the 24 lecture series and making all course materials freely available on the Internet.[9] Polak describes the motivation for his participation in the scheme as delivering an Ivy League standard education to a wider audience, "It’s not the full Yale experience, unfortunately, but it’s something.”[citation needed]
