Prof. wins economics award

Economics Prof. John B. Taylor Ph. D. ‘73 won the National Association for Business Economics’ (NABE) Adam Smith Award on Sept. 10, taking home an accolade considered “NABE’s highest honor.” Former recipients of the award include such revolutionary economists as Milton Friedman and Gary Becker.

NABE recognized Taylor — who has been at Stanford since 1984 — as a “groundbreaking researcher, public servant and teacher during a career of more than 30 years.”

In addition to his role in the Economics Department, Taylor is also a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and was formerly the director of both the Stanford Introductory Economics Center and the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. He served as Under Secretary of Treasury for International Affairs to President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.

“[Taylor] exemplifies outstanding leadership in the profession of economics,” said Carl Tannenbaum, NABE President and Chief Economist at LaSalle Bank, in a San Jose Business Journal article. “John Taylor’s path-breaking research into global monetary policy and his service as Under Secretary of Treasury are just two highlights of a far-reaching roster of achievements that is among the most impressive of our profession.”

Despite his seniority in the economics sphere, Taylor still teaches undergraduate courses at the University. He will teach International Finance to undergraduate students and Monetary Economics to graduate students this year.

Taylor said he has no plans to change his teaching schedule in spite of receiving the prestigious award.

“In general, I just have an enjoyment of explaining difficult things to people,” he said in an email. “It’s sort of like doing a puzzle.”

SLAC director leaves to work as assistant to President

After serving as director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) for eight years, Jonathan Dorfan will leave the position to serve as an assistant to President John Hennessy. Persis Drell, deputy director of SLAC, will work as acting director while the international search for a new director continues throughout the year.

Dorfan will collaborate with Hennessy to further foster the relationship between SLAC and the University, and he will work to ensure that the University does not lose the SLAC contract. Stanford currently runs SLAC for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The University’s contract with the DOE expires on Sept. 30, but the DOE plans to give Stanford a two-year extension. The DOE lease for SLAC will expire in 2012.

“The University does not necessarily inherit the contract going forward,” Dorfan said. “I am beginning to launch a team that will develop the proposal.”

Dorfan announced his intention to leave SLAC last March, and Drell will begin her position as acting director immediately.

“There aren’t problems,” Dorfan said of his move from SLAC to the main Stanford campus. “There are only opportunities. This is a large area of scientific opportunity.”