Kahn, Alfred E. (Alfred Edward)

Economist, professor of economics at Cornell University.

Alfred E. Kahn was born on October 17, 1917 in Paterson, New Jersey. He received an A.B. in 1936 and an M.A. in 1937 from New York University; he was a graduate student at the University of Missouri from 1937 to 1938; and he received a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army in 1943. He was a research fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. from 1939 to 1940, and a junior member of the staff in 1940. He worked as an economist for various agencies during World War II, including the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice, 1941 to 1942; International Economics Section at the Department of Commerce, 1942; War Production Board, 1943; and Commission on Palestine Surveys, New York City, 1944. He worked as an assistant to writers George W. Stocking and Myron W. Watkins at the Twentieth Century Fund in New York City, 1944 to 1945. From 1945 to 1947 he was an assistant professor of economics and chairman of department at Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin. In 1947 he moved to Cornell University, where he was an assistant professor, 1947 to 1950; associate professor, 1950 to 1955; professor of economics, beginning in 1955; Robert Julius Thorne Professor of Economics, 1967 to 1989; professor emeritus, 1989; chairman of department, 1958 to 1963; member of board of trustees of the university, 1964 to 1969; and dean of College of Arts and Sciences, 1969 to 1974. In addition to his academic service, Kahn was also a member of the research staff at the Brookings Institution, 1951 to 1952; member of Attorney General's National Committee to Study the Antitrust Laws, 1953 to 1955; senior staff member, U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, 1955 to 1957; member of economic advisory committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 1964 to 1967; member of board of economic advisers, American Telephone & Telegraph, 1968 to 1974; member of review committee on sulfur oxide emissions, National Academy of Sciences, 1974 to 1975; member of Public Advisory Board, Electric Power Research Institute, 1974 to 1977; chairman, New York Public Service Commission, 1974 to 1977; chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, 1977 to 1978; and member of National Commission for Review of Antitrust Laws, 1978-1979. He served as adviser to the President on Inflation and was Chairman of the Council on Wage and Price Stability, 1978 to 1980.