Jason Furman
Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy, Harvard University
Jason Furman is the Aetna Professor of the Practice of Economic Policy jointly at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) and the Department of Economics at Harvard University. Furman engages in public policy through research, writing and teaching in a wide range of areas including U.S. and international macroeconomics, fiscal policy, labor markets and competition policy.
Previously Furman served eight years as a top economic adviser to President Obama, including serving as the 28th Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers from August 2013 to January 2017, acting as both President Obama’s chief economist and a member of the cabinet. In addition to articles in scholarly journals and periodicals, Furman is a contributing Opinion writer at the New York Times and writes regularly for the Financial Times as well. He is the editor of two books on economic policy. Furman holds a Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.
Featured work
How can the EU get its act together?
Beyond external threats, persistent fragmentation continues to hinder Europe’s ability to respond
All work
Podcast
27 August 2025
How can the EU get its act together?
Beyond external threats, persistent fragmentation continues to hinder Europe’s ability to respond
Event
14 May 2025
Economic shifts in the US and global relations: A fireside chat with Jason Furman
How are unpredictable shifts in the US economy reshaping global dynamics?