Harris School of Public Policy Dean Appointment
From: Paul Alivisatos, President, and Katherine Baicker, Provost
Subject: Harris School of Public Policy Dean Appointment
Date: April 4, 2024
We are pleased to announce that Ethan Bueno de Mesquita, AB’96, interim dean of the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, has been appointed dean of the school, effective July 1. Since joining the Harris School in 2007, he has exhibited a rich understanding of and appreciation for the habits of mind and rigorous inquiry that underpin the intellectual life of the University. The institution has sought to instill these values in generations of students since its founding and to build an exceptional faculty, of which Ethan stands as an exemplar.
Ethan’s deep commitment to elevating and advancing the University’s mission have been evident through roles that have included professor and deputy dean at Harris, and most recently interim dean of Harris and the Sydney Stein Professor in the school and the College. Ethan has long demonstrated tremendous dedication and achievement in all of his work as an educator, administrator, and scholar. He has established himself as an eminent scholar of political economy, applying game theoretic models to analyze national security, violent conflict, electoral politics, and related spheres. His contributions to his field include authoring or co-authoring three books: Political Economy for Public Policy, Theory and Credibility, and Thinking Clearly with Data, along with many articles on political science and economics. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, and the United States Institute of Peace.
Last year, after agreeing to serve as interim dean of Harris, Ethan immediately set to work on a number of important programs and initiatives, including the creation of the Technology and Society Initiative and a school-based program on free expression and civil discourse. He also led the launch of the inaugural Harris Policy Innovation Challenge and the Democracy Innovation Fund. As a longtime Harris faculty member, Ethan has played a pivotal role in the school’s expansion over the past decade.
Ethan’s appointment was informed by the recommendations of a faculty advisory committee. We are deeply grateful to the committee members for their thoughtful work and dedication to the appointment process.
With nearly two decades of success in leadership roles at the University, Ethan has already made many lasting contributions to the institution. We are confident that he will continue to lead Harris to even greater heights in the years come. Please join us in congratulating Ethan on this well-earned appointment as dean.