The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), an agency affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, has awarded its Extraordinary Medal for Scientific Merit to economist Daron Acemoglu, in recognition of his outstanding scientific achievements and his exceptional contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of economics, political economy, and the study of institutions and development. The presentation ceremony of the distinction will be held next December.
Through a scientific career of international impact, Acemoglu has contributed to the understanding of some of the major challenges facing modern societies. In particular, his analysis of how political institutions condition economic institutions and, through them, long-term economic prosperity has provided a framework of reference for understanding both the success and failure of nations.
The jury highlighted that, “at a time when fundamental democratic principles, such as the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights, and respect for pluralism, face new challenges in different parts of the world, his work provides important theoretical insights and valuable analytical elements for informed public debate and the design of public policies”.
An internationally recognized career
Acemoglu graduated from the University of York (United Kingdom) in 1989 and received his PhD in 1992 from the London School of Economics, where he taught for a year. In 1993, he became a faculty member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Throughout his career, he has published more than a hundred articles in international journals such as the 'American Economic Review', the 'Quarterly Journal of Economics', or the 'Review of Economic Studies', as well as four books. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the European Economic Association, and the Econometric Society, and served as editor of the journal 'Econometrica'.
Acemoglu is the author of an extensive scientific output and numerous works that have had a wide international impact. Among his most impactful works is Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty , published alongside James A. Robinson, where they delve into the concept of inclusive institutions—those that encourage investment and innovation and provide a level playing field.
Another fundamental axis of Acemoglu's work is the study of technological progress and its economic and social effects. His research has analyzed how innovation can transform economies and how its benefits and costs are distributed among different groups in society.
Throughout his professional career, he has received numerous distinctions, including the John Bates Clark Medal in 2005 from the American Economic Association and the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in 2016. In 2024, he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, alongside Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson, for their studies on how institutions are formed and how they affect prosperity.
The CSIC Extraordinary Medal for Scientific Merit
The CSIC Extraordinary Medal for Scientific Merit, formerly known as the CSIC Gold Medal, has recognized since its creation in 1989 individuals or entities that have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of science and technology. Among the figures who have received this distinction are, among others, British scientist Stephen Hawking, awarded in 1989; American Nobel laureate Roy J. Glauber in 2008; Colombian neuroscientist Rodolfo Llinás in 2012; astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell in 2015; Nobel laureate in Physics Donna Strickland, distinguished in 2023; and Spanish biophysicist Eva Nogales, recognized in 2024 for her pioneering work in the field of visualizing macromolecular function using cryo-electron microscopy.