Center for the Economics of Human Development, University of Chicago

The Center for the Economics of Human Development was founded in 2014 by Nobel Laureate James J. Heckman at the University of Chicago to foster a comprehensive research program that identifies and explores the circumstances under which people develop the skills necessary to thrive in the current economy and achieve their fullest potential. The Center’s research portfolio is composed of an array of diverse, interrelated projects and initiatives which promote a thorough empirical understanding of human flourishing. Unifying this research is the idea that capacities and skills gained and learned in early childhood transform many aspects of the life course at all stages, ranging from employment and earning prospects to overall health. The Center not only brings together teams of the best researchers from throughout the world to explore and understand the depth of these complex topics, but also aids in the successful dissemination of their findings. In doing so, the Center’s researchers and staff equip policymakers and practitioners with the information necessary to promote equality of opportunity for even the most disadvantaged and vulnerable. The Center pursues these aims through several research teams focusing on areas such as early childhood and adolescent development, inequality and intergenerational mobility, employment, health, and crime. Additionally, the Center runs multiple initiatives that serve two purposes. The first is to expand its knowledge base and incorporate important perspectives into its research. Initiatives, such as the Asian Family in Transition, forge lasting connections with researchers across the world tackling similar topics in different economic contexts. The second purpose is to ensure that the research helps influence responsible policymaking and practices. For instance, the Heckman Equation works specifically to increase public understanding and legislative use of the Center’s research. The Center houses its researchers and staff, which include graduate and undergraduate students, visiting scholars, and doctoral and post-doctoral fellows, in two houses adjoined to the University of Chicago's Saieh Hall for Economics. It is fitting that, in these two buildings’ past lives, they housed the University of Chicago's Lab School's Nursery School, and prior to that, the Department of Home Economics and Household Administration, which researched child care and development.