Dear Board Members, Researchers, and Staff Colleagues -
This morning's "New this Week" email included the release of the 25000th
NBER working paper, a study of the intergenerational transmission of
human capital by David Card, Ciprian Domnisoru, and Lowell Taylor. The
NBER working paper series was launched in 1973, at the inspiration of
Robert Michael, who sought a way for NBER-affiliated researchers to
share their findings and obtain feedback prior to publication. The
first working paper was "Education, Information, and Efficiency" by
Finis Welch. The design for the working papers -- which many will
recall appeared with yellow covers in the pre-digital age -- was created
by H. Irving Forman, the NBER's long-serving chart-maker and graphic
artist.
Initially there were only a few dozen working papers per year, but as
the number of NBER-affiliated researchers grew, particularly after
Martin Feldstein became NBER president in 1977, the NBER working paper
series also expanded. In recent years, there have been about 1150
papers per year. Over the 45 year history of the working paper series,
the Economic Fluctuations and Growth Program has accounted for nearly
twenty percent (4916) of the papers, closely followed by Labor Studies
(4891) and Public Economics (4877).
I hope that you will join me in thanking Laura Bethard, our working
paper coordinator, and Tim Page, who handles business operations, for
their tireless efforts in supporting this critical NBER function. I am
very grateful to all the researchers who distribute their research
findings in the NBER series, and help make it one of the most widely
followed sources of economic research.
If you happen to be in Cambridge this Friday afternoon -- September 14
-- please join the NBER staff, and me, at 3:30pm at the NBER's offices
for a celebration of "NBERWP_at_25000". All best wishes.
Jim Poterba
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Received on Mon Sep 10 2018 - 13:39:12 EDT
