Renowned Indian-American economist Gita Gopinath has announced her return to Harvard University after spending nearly seven years at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She currently serves as the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director and is the first woman to have held the role of Chief Economist at the global financial institution.
Starting September 1, Gopinath will rejoin the Harvard Economics Department as the inaugural Gregory and Ania Coffey Professor of Economics.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Gopinath shared her decision, saying, “After nearly 7 amazing years at the IMF, I have decided to return to my academic roots.” She added, “I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists.”
https://twitter.com/GitaGopinath/status/1947361833473761768
Gopinath joined the IMF in January 2019 as its Chief Economist, breaking new ground as the first woman to hold that post. In January 2022, she was promoted to First Deputy Managing Director—one of the top leadership roles at the IMF.
Before joining the IMF, Gopinath held prestigious academic positions. From 2005 to 2022, she served as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University. Earlier in her career, she taught economics as an assistant professor at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business from 2001 to 2005.
Throughout her career, Gopinath has focused on global macroeconomics, international finance, and policy research, earning widespread respect in both academic and policy-making circles.
Her return to Harvard marks a new chapter as she transitions back into teaching and research, aiming to mentor future economists while continuing her work on critical global economic issues.
