Prize rewards top economists
Alan I. Barreca and Jonathan Pritchett have been awarded the 2013 Lawrence M.v.D. Schloss Prize for Excellence in Economics. The award is given annually to professors or students who make the greatest contribution to the advancement of the study of economics at Tulane University.
Jonathan Pritchett, left, and Alan I. Barreca received the 2013 Schloss Prize for making the greatest contribution to the advancement of the study of economics at Tulane University. (Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano)
Barreca's past research papers have examined the long-term effects of early childhood exposure to malaria and the effects of humidity on mortality in the United States. His ongoing research investigates how people have adapted to extreme heat in the United States. This research has shown that the adoption of air conditioning lead to nearly an 80 percent decline in heat-related mortality.
Pritchett, an associate professor of economics, won the prize for excellence in outreach and service. He is a former chair of the Tulane Department of Economics who has directed undergraduate studies for more than 15 years, advised countless undergraduate students majoring in economics, and chaired the Student Affairs Committee for the University Senate.
He is committed to giving his undergraduate students hands-on research experience. His scholarship evaluates the economics of the slave trade in the United States, often concentrating on the New Orleans slave market. He and his students gather records of slave sales from the New Orleans Notarial Archives, which they are using to make conclusions about the economics of slavery in the city.
Schloss, who endowed the award, is a 1976 Tulane graduate and Board of Tulane member. He is chief investment officer for the New York City pension system, following a successful 30-year career in private equity.
Mary Sparacello is a writer in the Office of Development.
