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Ben Polak

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Ben Polak
Provost of Yale University
In office
2013–2020
Preceded byPeter Salovey
Succeeded byScott Strobel
Personal details
Born (1961-12-22) 22 December 1961 (age 63)
EducationTrinity College, Cambridge (BA)
Northwestern University (MA)
Harvard University (PhD)
Scientific career
Children3[3]
AwardsDeVane Medal (2005) for teaching[1]
Fieldsdecision theory, game theory and economic history
InstitutionsNew Economic School
University of Melbourne
Yale University
Thesis Problems from the history of capital markets  (1992)
Doctoral advisorJeffrey G. Williamson[2]
Doctoral studentsMarzena Rostek

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.[citation needed]

In 2021 it was reported that Polak was responsible for Yale's decision to terminate the Yale Boswell Editions project, founded in 1949.[8]

Courses taught

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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]

References

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  1. ^ Polak and Prown are honored with DeVane Medals for teaching Yale Bulletin & Calendar, 4 March 2005 (Volume 33, Number 21)
  2. ^ Ben Polak at the Mathematics Genealogy Project
  3. ^ "Economics chair Benjamin Polak named new Yale provost". 14 January 2013.
  4. ^ Polak Assumes Kohn Associate Chair in Economics Yale Bulletin & Calendar, 21 June – 19 July 1999
  5. ^ "Yale School of Management - Faculty - Benjamin Polak". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  6. ^ Benjamin Polak Is the Inaugural William C. Brainard Professor Archived 26 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine from Yale University Office of Public Affairs, 14 November 2008
  7. ^ "Yale University - Official University Messages". Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Welcome | Yale Boswell Editions". boswelleditions.yale.edu. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
  9. ^ ECON159 Game Theory Archived 2010-08-03 at the Wayback Machine with Professor Benjamin Polak at Open Yale Courses
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