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Key people at Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) conducts and disseminates nonpartisan economic policy research, serving as a vital nexus between academic inquiry and practical governance. The institute's work encompasses a broad range of economic issues, translating complex data and academic findings into actionable insights through policy briefs, working papers, and convenings. Its robust analytical framework leverages deep academic expertise to illuminate critical economic challenges and opportunities.
Established in 1982, SIEPR was founded by Stanford economists George Shultz and Michael Boskin, both distinguished for their extensive policymaking experience. Their vision was to unify economic scholars from across the university, creating a dedicated hub for rigorous research focused on understanding and influencing economic policies. This foundational insight aimed to foster an environment where academic research could directly contribute to informed public discourse and policy decisions.
SIEPR's research and analysis benefit a diverse audience including policymakers, corporate leaders, government officials, and the academic community. The institute is committed to understanding economic challenges and sharing its analyses to foster better policy outcomes. Looking forward, SIEPR aims to bridge the gap between economic theory and real-world policy, continuing to inspire and train future generations of economic policy leaders.
Key people at Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
The Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) is a nonpartisan research institute at Stanford University, not a company or investment firm, dedicated to generating evidence-based economic knowledge to inform policymaking.[1][2][3] Its mission is to catalyze research on pressing economic issues—such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, regulation, innovation, and global development—while bridging academics, policymakers, businesses, and the public to improve living standards worldwide.[1][2][3] SIEPR supports over 100 faculty from Stanford's seven schools, hosts centers like the Stanford King Center on Global Development, and runs programs training future economists, though it does not invest in startups or manage portfolios.[1][5]
SIEPR was founded in 1982 by Stanford economists George Shultz and Michael Boskin, who aimed to unite economic scholars across campus—spanning the Economics Department, Graduate School of Business, Hoover Institution, and beyond—to connect academic research with real-world policymakers.[2][3] Conceived amid a need for nonpartisan analysis, it drew on Shultz's policymaking experience (including as U.S. Secretary of State) and Boskin's expertise to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration.[3] Over decades, SIEPR evolved from core focuses on fiscal, monetary, and regulatory policy to include Silicon Valley-driven expertise in innovation and emerging technologies, housing four centers and five programs while maintaining strict nonpartisanship; leadership has included directors like John Shoven, Lawrence J. Lau, James Sweeney, and current director Mark Duggan, with Neale Mahoney as Trione Director.[1][2][3][5]
SIEPR rides the wave of data-intensive economic policymaking amid tech-driven disruptions like AI, fintech, and digital markets, analyzing their social and economic impacts from its Silicon Valley base.[3] Timing is ideal post-2020s policy shifts (e.g., inflation, regulation), where nonpartisan evidence counters polarization—scholars have shaped U.S. health/finance policies and Indian banking access.[3] Market forces favoring it include Stanford's tech ecosystem and demand for expert testimony amid global challenges like poverty and inequality.[1][5] It influences the ecosystem by training economists for tech firms/government and fostering innovation policy, indirectly boosting startup-friendly regulations without direct investment.[3]
SIEPR's influence will grow as economic volatility persists, with expansions in AI ethics, climate policy, and global development via events like the 2025 Summit.[5] Trends like data regulation and tech inequality will shape it, amplifying its "phone-a-friend" role for leaders.[5] Expect deeper tech-policy integrations, evolving from research convener to pivotal advisor—reinforcing its founding vision of evidence-based solutions that elevate lives, far beyond a mere academic outpost.[1][2]
