Esther Duflo, at 52, received the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2019 for her groundbreaking work on poverty. Now, she is the president of the Paris School of Economics, where her journey in economics took off. From her office at MIT, she shared how she ended up in the world of development economics.
Esther is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and has earned numerous accolades. She co-authored the influential book Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty with Abhijit Banerjee, which has been translated into 17 languages. She is also the author of several children’s books.
When asked about key moments in her life, she recalled a significant decision she made at 21. In September 1993, she was in Moscow, having shifted her focus from economics to Soviet history. She wanted to step out of her comfort zone, and Moscow in the 1990s was a perfect choice, despite its challenges.
Living in tough conditions, with violence surrounding her, Esther faced a moment of chance at the airport. While helping a friend who was stuck without a visa, she spotted Daniel Cohen, her former professor. At that time, she had a mixed view of economics; she thought it often justified inequality and did little to help those in need.
But meeting Cohen changed her perspective. He encouraged her to reconsider economics, saying it offered a valuable lens on real-world events. His words inspired her to rediscover her passion for the subject.
