Honoring Ed Foster
The Department of Economics boasts many distinguished faculty members, but few have left the kind of legacy that Professor Ed Foster has. From serving as the chair of the economics department and the associate dean of the Carlson School of Management to advising graduate students as the director of graduate studies, Foster has made enormous contributions to the University of Minnesota.
An Advisor and Colleague Who Continues to Give Back
For those of you who want to honor Ed in the same was many of his formal advisees have done, please consider making a gift today. Your investment will not only recognize Ed’s leadership at the University of Minnesota over the years, it will also support the next generation of economists.
Help us reach the $100,000 goal by making a gift to the Edward M. Foster Fellowship.
As a freshly minted PhD alumnus from MIT, Ed Foster came to the University of Minnesota in 1960. Foster was one of Walter Heller’s recruits as Heller and his colleague Leo Hurwicz worked to build a powerhouse economics department. Over the years, Foster served the University in a variety of capacities including director of graduate studies, associate vice president of academic affairs, associate dean for the business school and graduate school, and chair of the economics department. Even after his retirement in 2008, Foster continues to work as an advocate for the U’s economics department. He serves on the National Bureau of Economic Research board as a representative of the University and is also an active member of the Heller-Hurwicz Economics Institute Advisory Board.
Though Foster wore many administrative hats, he also served as a formal and informal advisor to many students. Alumni Haseeb Ahmed and Anil Puri wanted to recognize Foster’s dedication and commitment to his students. Along with other advisees, they have established the Edward Foster Fellowship in Economics. As they said in a message to fellow advisees, “We feel that but for Ed’s kind and generous involvement during our journey as students our path would have been much less smooth. His friendly, open-minded and empathetic support of our sojourn through the University was instrumental in our eventual success.”
Foster was not only a thoughtful advisor to his students but was also well-recognized as a leader in the department. Professor V.V. Chari, who worked with Foster during his tenure as the chair of the economics department, credits Foster with shaping and guiding the department into what it is today. “Ed Foster represents the essence of Minnesota economics. He is dedicated to the proposition that sound economic theory combined with careful data analysis can transform the world of economic policy. He was an exemplary leader of the department handling both difficult and successful times with equanimity and poise,” says Chari.
