President Obama nominated current Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Jason Furman to chair the Council of Economic Advisers at a press conference on Monday. If confirmed, Furman will replace the outgoing Alan Krueger, who is returning to teach at Princeton.
Furman has advised the president since 2008 on major pieces of legislation and policy reform, including the 2009 Recovery Act. Furman possesses master’s degrees from Harvard and the London School of Economics, as well as a Ph.D. from Harvard, where Greg Mankiw advised his doctoral thesis.
Furman graduated from Harvard College in 1992. His freshman roommate was none other than Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon. The two lived in Matthews 201 during the 1988-89 school year.
And if history is any indication, Furman will likely end up back in Cambridge following his tenure to teach Economics 10, Harvard’s introductory economics course. Greg Mankiw served as President George W. Bush’s CEA Chair and now teaches the course. Marty Feldstein chaired the council for President Reagan and previously taught Ec 10, then known as Social Analysis 10.
(h/t Dylan Matthews)