Ran Abramitzky Appointed H&S Senior Associate Dean of Social Sciences

Professor of economics Ran Abramitzky has been named the new senior associate dean of the social sciences in the School of Humanities and Sciences. He will begin his term on September 1, 2020.

Abramitzky’s research is in economic history and applied microeconomics, with a focus on immigration and income inequality. He joined the Stanford faculty in 2005 and has served as the vice chair of the economics department since 2014. He is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research as well as a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and former co-editor of the journal Explorations in Economic History.

Photo by Linda Cicero

His 2018 book, The Mystery of the Kibbutz: Egalitarian Principles in a Capitalist World, was awarded the Gyorgi Ranki Biennial Prize by the Economic History Association for an outstanding book on European Economic History. During his time at Stanford, he has received the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching, in addition to teaching awards from the economics department.

Abramitzky succeeds Ellen Markman, the Lewis M. Terman Professor of Psychology, who is regarded as one of the nation’s leading developmental psychologists. Markman has been a member of the psychology department for more than four decades, serving as chair from 1994-1997. She previously served in the senior associate dean role from 1998-2000 and began her current term in 2013 under former H&S Dean Richard Saller.

During her term, Markman played a key role in a number of successful senior hires in the social sciences. “I am grateful for Ellen Markman’s exceptionally wise judgment and high standards, and for her help managing and building Stanford’s leading social sciences departments,” said Debra Satz, the Vernon R. & Lysbeth Warren Anderson Dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences.

Photo by Linda Cicero

Satz also highlighted Markman’s leadership during the past several months of COVID-19.  “During the pandemic, Ellen has kept her eye out for the interests of our most vulnerable faculty, especially assistant professors and faculty with children at home.”

Abramitzky looks forward to building on Markman’s leadership and the strength of the social sciences departments. “Over the last few months, I got to know the amazing and committed group of faculty and staff who work in the dean’s office, and I am excited to join them in supporting our faculty, staff, and students,” he said.

“Stanford’s social science faculty make a positive change in the world by bringing new data and new thinking to bear on some of the most urgent problems facing society today. It is a pleasure and an honor to work with our faculty, and to help support their mission of advancing and spreading knowledge through world-class research and teaching.”

Senior associate deans are responsible for overseeing the academic direction of departments and programs within their respective academic area covering the humanities, arts, natural sciences, and social sciences.