Department of Economics

The Robert M. Coen Award for Distinguished Honors Thesis is awarded to graduating seniors who have written exemplary senior theses. Robert Coen, Economics Professor Emeritus, received his A.B. from Harvard in 1961 and Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern in 1967. He taught at Stanford from 1965-1971 and at Northwestern from 1972-2007. Coen studied estimation of demand systems for factors of production and the effects of taxes on factor demands. He developed a structural macroeconometric model of actual and potential Gross Domestic Product. His teaching focused on macroeconomics and public finance, and secondarily in comparative economic systems. Coen has been deeply involved in the development of the undergraduate curriculum at Northwestern, serving as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences from 1976-79 and again in 1998-2001. Coen was Chair of the Economics Department from 1985-88 and Faculty Master of the Public Affairs Residential College from 1995-98. Outside the university, Coen was a Director of the Social Science Research Council from 1988-93 and Chair in 1992-93, and he was a Director of the Trust for Credit Unions from 1987-2015, a family of mutual funds for credit union investments.

The Frederick S. Deibler Award for Excellence in Economics is awarded to graduating seniors who achieve the best performances in economic coursework. Frederick Deibler was a faculty member of the Economics Department from 1904-1942. A native of Indiana, Professor Deibler received his BA from Harvard in 1904 and his PhD from University of Wisconsin in 1909. His main research interests were labor markets and organizations, and his book “Principles of Economics” was first published in 1929. The Deibler Award was established upon Professor Deibler’s retirement from Northwestern in 1942.

The Robert Eisner Award for Undergraduate Research is awarded to the graduating senior who demonstrates superb talent in conducting Public Policy undergraduate research in economics. Robert Eisner was a member of the Northwestern faculty from 1952-1994. Professor Eisner was recognized throughout the United States for his expertise and knowledge of macroeconomics and the economics of business cycles. He served as President of the American Economic Association in 1988 and was a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and The Los Angeles Times, primarily covering national economic policy.