Christopher Udry is the Robert E. and Emily King Professor of Economics at Northwestern University. A leading development economist, his research focuses on rural economic activity in Sub-Saharan Africa, informed by field research and primary data collection. Udry directs the first long-term, nationwide socioeconomic panel survey in Ghana (in collaboration with the University of Ghana). He leads randomized evaluations of development programs across West Africa. His work also investigates household organization and risk in Mali, the link between psychological well-being and economic decisions, and the dynamics of agricultural productivity in Africa. Prior to joining Northwestern in 2017, Udry taught at Yale University for 19 years, where he served in several leadership roles, including Chair of the Department of Economics, Director of the Economic Growth Center, and Chair of the Council on African Studies. At Northwestern, he co-founded and co-directs the Global Poverty Research Lab. His commitment to the region began early in his career when he spent two years as a secondary school teacher in northern Ghana. He has also been a visiting scholar at the University of Cape Town, at Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria and at the University of Ghana at Legon. Udry is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
