SC Connecticut News

Kerwin K. Charles, a world-renowned economist and award-winning educator whose work examines a range of topics in labor and applied economics, has been appointed the Frederick W. Beinecke Professor of Economics, Policy & Management, effective immediately.

Since 2019, Charles has served as the Indra K. Nooyi Dean & Frederic D. Wolfe Professor of Economics, Policy & Management at the Yale School of Management (SOM). His scholarly career includes studies and publications on earnings and wealth inequality, conspicuous consumption, labor market discrimination, intergenerational transmission of economic status, determinants of unionization, non-work among prime-aged persons, and the labor market consequences of housing bubbles, sectoral change, and international trade.

Before joining Yale, Charles was the Edwin A. and Betty L. Bergmann Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago. He has also held roles such as vice president of the American Economics Association and serves on several academic and nonprofit boards. Additionally, he is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and an elected fellow of multiple prestigious societies including the Society of Labor Economics; the American Academy of Political and Social Science; and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

At Yale SOM, Charles has developed significant programs such as the Broad Center for public education management degrees and the Fellowship for Public Education Leadership. He oversaw initiatives like the Swensen Asset Management Institute and various programs focused on social enterprise innovation and impact. Under his leadership, new educational pathways were created including a master’s in asset management degree program. This fall will see the launch of a master’s in technology management in collaboration with Yale's School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Charles has also focused on faculty development by formalizing mentorship efforts for junior faculty members while enhancing research support resources for recruitment purposes. He established an Office of Inclusion and Diversity along with convening a Council on Anti-racism and Equity which resulted in initiatives such as reassessing art in Edward P. Evans Hall.

His community engagement efforts include launching affinity groups to reconnect alumni with Yale SOM while broadening interactions with New Haven through initiatives like the Center for Inclusive Growth.

Charles holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Miami along with both a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Cornell University.