Professor Austan Goolsbee, born August 18, 1969, currently teaches at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Prof. Goolsbee is probably best known for being heavily involved with Barack Obama's administration. Having served as the economic adviser for Obama's 2004 Senate race and policy adviser for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, Goolsbee joined the President's Council of Economic Advisers in March 2009 and also served as the chief economist for the Economic Recovery Advisory Board during that time. Goolsbee became Chief Economic Adviser to President Obama in September 2010 and served in that capacity for a year before returning to his faculty position at the University of Chicago.
Professor Goolsbee's research is largely focused on empirical studies regarding taxes and public policy, and his entire curriculum vitae can be found here. He has also written for a number of mainstream publications, including Slate.com and The New York Times.
Goolsbee is known as being a very good teacher and public speaker, and he has won awards for such activities ranging from Business Week's Star Professor title to the more dubious honor of Washington D.C.'s funniest celebrity. He has used these talents to appear on television programs such as The Daily Show With Jon Stewart to promote economic literacy and try to explain the nation's economic situation.
