John A. List is a distinguished economist renowned for his transformative contributions to empirical economic analysis through field experimentation. He currently serves as the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and holds the position of Director of the Becker Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. List earned his PhD in economics from the University of Wyoming following undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. His academic career began at the University of Central Florida in 1996 before progressing to the University of Arizona and University of Maryland, culminating in his appointment at the University of Chicago in 2005 where he served as Department Chair from 2012 to 2018.
List pioneered the application of field experiments to economic research, fundamentally changing how economists gather and interpret empirical evidence across diverse settings. His groundbreaking work has provided critical insights into charitable giving, public goods provision, behavioral anomalies, and the valuation of non-market goods and services through over 250 academic publications. With research spanning charitable fundraising, labor markets, consumer behavior, and auction theory, List has established field experimentation as a gold standard methodology in economics. His contributions have been recognized by Nobel laureate economists who noted that List has done more than anyone else to advance field experimental methods and described his work as revolutionary.
Beyond scholarly contributions, List has significantly influenced economic policy through service on the White House Council of Economic Advisers from 2002 to 2003 and as former Chief Economist of Uber and Lyft. He currently serves as Editor of the Journal of Political Economy and holds prestigious fellowships including membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Econometric Society. His recent research focuses on scaling economic interventions, early childhood education, and the gender earnings gap in the gig economy, demonstrating continued relevance to pressing economic questions. List's influential books including the international best-seller The Why Axis and The Voltage Effect have brought his insights to broader audiences, cementing his legacy as a transformative figure in modern economics.
