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Prof. Junsen Zhang, Wei Lun Professor of Economics and Chairman, Department of Economics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has recently been elected as a Fellow of the Econometric Society.  Among the newly elected Fellows, Professor Zhang is the only scholar from Asia.  Hong Kong scholars previously elected include Prof. Lawrence J. Lau, Ralph and Claire Landau Professor of Economics at CUHK, and Prof. Sir James Mirrlees, Distinguished Professors-at-Large at CUHK and Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences. 

Established in 1930, The Econometric Society is a prestigious international society for the advancement of economic theory in its relation to statistics and mathematics, covering every area in economics.  Its official publication, Econometrica, is the world’s leading academic journal in economics, and the Econometric Society World Congress held at five-year intervals is known as ‘The Olympic of the Economics profession’. 

The fellowships of The Econometric Society have been bestowed on many esteemed economists in the world.  To be eligible for nomination of a Fellow, one must have made highly original contributions to economic theory, or have significant achievements in studying economic issues using statistical or mathematical analyses.  New Fellows are voted and elected by all current Fellows.  Election as a Fellow of the Society represents recognition of the person’s highly regarded contributions to economics. 

Professor Zhang said, ‘I am deeply honoured to be elected Fellow of The Econometric Society, one of the most prestigious honours in economics.  I would like to thank my collaborators and my family for their support all along.  Having worked in CUHK for a total of 20 years, I’m truly grateful to members of the Economics Department, Faculty of Social Science and the University for their support and encouragement.’ 

Professor Zhang obtained his PhD in economics in 1990.  His research has focused on the economics of family behavior, including crime, fertility, marriage, education, intergenerational transfers, marital transfers, gender bias, and old-age support.  He also works on family-related macro issues, such as ageing, social security, and economic growth. 

Professor Zhang was a member of the Commission on Strategic Development and the Committee on Economic Development and Economic Cooperation with the Mainland of the HKSAR Government, the President of the Hong Kong Economic Association, the Associate Dean of CUHK Faculty of Social Science, and the Head of Economics Graduate Division.  He is currently Editor of the Journal of Population Economics, and serves as a member of editorial boards and an anonymous referee for a number of academic journals.