Nobel Prize winner, economics professor to speak at virtual lecture
In April, Virginia Tech will host a Nobel Prize winner and renowned professor of economics to discuss the patterns of modern technological and economic advancement and the impact of liberalism.
Daron Acemoglu, a professor in the Department of Economics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will deliver the virtual 2026 Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Distinguished Public Lecture on April 8. The lecture will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. via Zoom, and registration in advance is required.
This will be the ninth annual public lecture hosted by the David H. Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Acemoglu will bring a new perspective on the ever-changing social world in anticipation of the summer 2026 release of his new book, “Remaking Liberalism.”
“Professor Aceomoglu’s work is historically informed and it treats economic analysis as inseparable from the political institutions that structure our social interactions,” said Michael Moehler, director of the center. “He is a PPE [philosophy, politics, and economics] scholar par excellence, and it is an honor that he takes the time to engage with our faculty and students."
Housed in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and College of Science, the center aims to promote the interplay between politics, economics, and philosophy by inviting experts in these fields to present their research to a public audience. Each year, the center seeks to balance the interaction of the three subjects by bringing experts from different focuses.
In past years, the lecture’s speakers included Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science Bruce Ackerman, Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen, New York Times bestselling author Dan Ariely, British historian Adam Tooze, and Nobel Prize winner Ester Duflo.
Acemoglu has received multiple awards, such as the John Bates Clark Medal in 2005 and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in 2018. In 2013, he co-authored the novel “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty,” which was recognized as a bestseller that challenges common economic beliefs.
In 2024, Acemoglu and his colleagues, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson, won the Nobel Prize in Economics for their work on the interaction between labor markets and democratic institutions, and how they impact economic prosperity.
“This speaker captures the ambition of the center to combine academic excellence with practical relevance,” Moehler said. “Professor Acemoglu’s work discusses the very foundation of our society today and how we can improve it.”
Written by Anastasia Simonenko, marketing and communications intern for the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
