First year graduate student awarded Nobel Prize in Economics

The astounding news, from the AP, was picked up at the blog of Gregory Mankiw, a professor of economics at Harvard:

First-Year Grad Student Wins Nobel Prize in Economics!
From the Associated Press (with some light editing):

Pfuffnick’s Nobel Economics Prize triumph hailed by many

LONDON—The surprise choice of first-year graduate student Quintus Pfuffnick for the Nobel Prize in Economics drew praise from much of the world Friday even as many pointed out the youthful economist has not yet published anything in scholarly journals.

The new PhD candidate was hailed for his willingness to tackle difficult problems, his commitment to improving the economic system, and his goal of bringing efficiency and equality into harmony.

Professor Paul Krugman of Princeton, who won the prize in 2008, said Pfuffnick’s award shows great things are expected from him in the coming years.

“In a way, it’s an award coming near the beginning of the first year in grad school of a relatively young economist that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our economy a better place for all,” he said. “It is an award that speaks to the promise of Mr Pfuffnick’s message of hope.”

He said the prize is a “wonderful recognition of Pfuffnick’s essay in his grad school application.”

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LA writes:

I sent this e-mail to Gregory Mankiw at Harvard:

Dear Mr. Mankiw,

That’s amazing news about the grad student Quintus Pfuffnick winning the Nobel. However, the AP story you quote doesn’t mention where Pfuffnick is studying. Can you perhaps find out this information and add it to your post?

Regards,

Lawrence Auster

Posted by Lawrence Auster at October 09, 2009 02:32 PM | Send