Harold Wesley Watts

Background

Watts, Harold Wesley was born on September 30, 1932 in Salem, Oregon, United States. Son of Elton and Claire Watts.

Education

Bachelor, University Oregon, 1954. Master of Arts, Yale University, 1956. Doctor of Philosophy, Yale University, 1957.

Career

From instructor to associate professor, Yale University, New Haven, 1957-1963; from associate professor to professor economics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1963-1976; director Institute Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1966-1971; professor economics public policy, Columbia University, New York City, 1976-1998; professor economics public policy emeritus, Columbia University, New York City, since 1998; director Public Policy Research Center, Columbia University, New York City, 1988-1993; senior fellow Mathematica Policy Research, Princeton, New Jersey, 1979-1992; senior research associate, Urban Institute, 1994-1995.

Achievements

• Harold Wesley Watts has been listed as a noteworthy Economist, educator by Marquis Who's Who.

Works

• book

  • An economic definition of poverty (Wisconsin. University. Institute for Research on Poverty. Discussion papers 5-67)

Views

Clarification of conceptual basis of economic poverty, and implementation of alternative concepts in analysing income distributions. Analysis of negative income tax and other linear tax and transfer schemes. Development and implementation of first major social experiment — the New Jersey negative tax experiment.

Development of method for optimising experimental designs to estimate functions of linear regression parameters. Analysis of the child development process as a human capital accumulation programme.

Membership

Fellow Association Public Policy Analysis and Management, Econometric Society. Member American Economic Association, Long Island Wine Council (president 2000-2002, secretary 2004-2006).

Interests

• 850 Human Capital; 914 Economics of Poverty.

Connections

Married Doris A. Roth, September 28, 1951 (divorced 1973). Children– Michael Lee, Suzanne, Jane Marie, Kristin.

Father:

Elton Watts

Mother:

Claire Watts

Spouse:

Doris A. Roth

child:

Michael Lee Watts

child:

Kristin Watts

child:

Jane Marie Watts

child:

Suzanne Watts