In September 2025, we were thrilled to welcome Professor Josh Angrist of MIT for a sabbatical year at the Smith Center.
He kicked off the year with a month-long class, “Mostly Harmless Causal Inference in Economics and Medicine” on the core tools used in contemporary empirical studies of causal effects in social science and medicine. This class proved so popular, three additional sessions were added later in the year.
Dr. Angrist was a big proponent of everyday teaching and collaboration as well, working closely with many Smith Center trainees, discussing the intricacies of causal inference, brainstorming new ideas, and even just talking about life and careers. A fan favorite event was his monthly “LATE Bites” lunch, where Dr. Angrist and Smith Center fellows sat down for policy & econometrics seminars over lunch.
“Having Josh at the Smith Center was a true privilege and one of the highlights of my year,” said Dr. Darshali Vyas, a postdoctoral fellow at the Smith Center. “Beyond his remarkable intellect, his warmth and humor made every interaction memorable. I will miss having him at the Smith Center, but I look forward to continuing to learn from him through future collaborations!”
While we wish Dr. Angrist a fond farewell from a full-time office presence, we look forward to continuing the collaborations this past year has fostered.