James J. Heckman has made fundamental contributions throughout econometrics and empirical economics. As an econometrician, he revolutionized the study of sample selection bias, duration analysis, heterogeneity, and treatment effects in microeconometrics. In microeconomics, he has applied these econometric methods to the study of labor supply and life-cycle dynamic models of unemployment, wage growth, and skill formation. Additionally, he is the leading scholar on the evaluation of active labor market programs.
In addition to these contributions to econometrics and empirical economics, Heckman has applied his tools and methods to the study of the effect of civil rights programs on the economic progress of African Americans and the general equilibrium effects of investments in higher education. Most recently, his research has embraced the interdisciplinary study of investments in children’s cognitive and noncognitive skills. He has produced the most credible evidence yet found that early interventions can improve the socioeconomic prospects of disadvantaged children.