Congratulations to Mark Aguiar, the Walker Professor of Economics and International Finance, and Atif Mian, the John H. Laporte, Jr. Class of 1967 Professor of Public Policy and Finance, on their election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The prestigious association, chartered in 1780, recognizes leaders and accomplished individuals across academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research, and science.

“We celebrate the achievement of each new member and the collective breadth and depth of their excellence — this is a fitting commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Academy President Laurie Patton in the academy’s 2026 announcement of new members yesterday. “The founding of the nation and the Academy are rooted in the inextricable links between a vibrant democracy, the free pursuit of knowledge, and the expansion of the public good.”

Mark Aguiar

Aguiar’s research in macroeconomics focuses on models of consumption and savings, emerging market business cycles, sovereign debt, and capital taxation. His recent research includes work on young men’s labor supply and hand-to-mouth consumption behavior. He is a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, where he serves as co-director of its Program on International Finance and Macroeconomics.

Aguiar earned his bachelor’s from Brown University and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An elected fellow of the Econometric Society, he has also served on the board of editors for the American Economic Review, the Review of Economic Dynamics, and AEJ: Macroeconomics.

Atif Mian

Mian’s research centers on connections between financial markets and the macroeconomy, emphasizing the role played by political, governance, and organizational constraints in shaping the effectiveness and scope of financial markets. More broadly, Mian focuses his research on understanding “how we all connect with each other to form this thing we call the economy.”

Mian holds a bachelor’s and Ph.D. from MIT. He is a fellow of the Econometric Society, a recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship, co-director of Economics for Inclusive Prosperity, and co-author of “House of Debt,” which examines the role of household debt in the Great Recession and its implications for economic policy.

Aguiar and Mian are two of seven Princeton University faculty members inducted this year. Read the article here to see the full list.