# Michael Strain

> Michael R. Strain is one of Washington's most-cited economists - director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, author of 'The American Dream Is Not Dead (But Populism Could Kill It),' and a columnist whose data-first optimism cuts against the grain of both parties. He studies labor markets, macroeconomics, public finance, and social policy, testifies before Congress, teaches at Georgetown, and writes for the Financial Times and Project Syndicate.

- **Role:** Director of Economic Policy Studies and Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute
- **Organizations:** American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Georgetown University - McCourt School of Public Policy, Financial Times, Project Syndicate, IZA Institute of Labor Economics, Aspen Economic Strategy Group, Council on Foreign Relations, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** High school, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City, Missouri, BA (magna cum laude), Marquette University, MA, New York University, MA and PhD in Economics, Cornell University
- **Known for:** Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, Author of 'The American Dream Is Not Dead (But Populism Could Kill It)' (2020), Editor or coeditor of four volumes on economics and public policy

## Career timeline

- **2005** — Joined the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as an assistant economist (macroeconomics research group)
- **2008** — Joined the Center for Economic Studies at the US Census Bureau
- **2011** — Became administrator of the New York Census Research Data Centers
- **2012** — Joined the American Enterprise Institute as a Research Fellow
- **2014** — Featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story on reform conservative intellectuals
- **2015** — Named Deputy Director of Economic Policy Studies at AEI
- **2016** — Became Director of Economic Policy Studies at AEI
- **2020** — Published 'The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It)'
- **2026** — Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

## Achievements

- Director of Economic Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute
- Author of 'The American Dream Is Not Dead (But Populism Could Kill It)' (2020)
- Editor or coeditor of four volumes on economics and public policy
- Published over 50 scholarly articles in academic and policy journals
- Testified as an expert witness before six House and Senate committees
- Featured in 2014 New York Times Magazine cover story on reform conservatives
- Work cited by The Economist (2021) as contributing to 'an intellectual revolution in macroeconomics'
- Contributing columnist for the Financial Times and columnist for Project Syndicate
- Professor of Practice at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy
- Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2026)
- Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Economic Strategy Group

## Latest updates

- **2026** — Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

## Links

- Website: https://www.michaelrstrain.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrstrain/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/MichaelRStrain

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/michael-strain
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Last updated: 2026-06-02