Two Amazon Scholars elected to prestigious science organizations

Two Amazon Scholars recently have been elected to prestigious science organizations that promote the advancement of science for the public good.

Dirk Bergemann, the Douglas and Marion Campbell Professor of Economics at Yale University last week was one of 252 individuals elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS).  Earlier this week, Michael Kearns, a professor in the Computer and Information Science Department at the University of Pennsylvania, where he holds the National Center Chair, was one of 120 individuals elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).  

Dirk Bergemann recognized by AAAS

Bergemann is one of seven economists, and one of 14 Yale faculty members elected to the Academy in 2021; new members also include media entrepreneur and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey, atmospheric scientist Anne Thompson, computer scientist Fei-Fei Li, and neurosurgeon and medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta.  

“We are honoring the excellence of these individuals, celebrating what they have achieved so far, and imagining what they will continue to accomplish,” said David Oxtoby, AAAS president, in announcing the new members.

Bergemann, who earlier this year became an Amazon Scholar working within Amazon’s grocery supply chain organization, joined Yale in 1995 as an assistant professor. He has secondary appointments as professor of computer science in Yale’s School of Engineering, and as professor of finance in the School of Management.

He also has been affiliated with the Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics at Yale since 1996, and a fellow of the Econometric Society since 2007. He earned his PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994. 

Bergemann’s research interests include game theory, contract theory, venture capital and market design. He has published extensively; most recently, he’s focused on dynamic mechanism design and dynamic pricing, robust mechanism, and information design.  

“The news regarding the election to the Academy was a wonderful surprise,” said Bergemann. “It is thrilling to have my research on auction, learning and experimentation and market design recognized by the Academy. And I am certainly looking forward to bringing some of those insights and ideas to the expanding grocery supply at Amazon.”

The Academy was founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and others who believed the new republic should honor exceptionally accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good. The Academy’s mission remains essentially the same today as members from increasingly diverse fields collaborate to share ideas and recommendations in the arts, democracy, education, global affairs, and science.

The list of all 2021 new members is available here.  One of the Academy’s longest-standing traditions is the writing of letters accepting election to membership. Since 1781, the Academy has received communications in a variety of formats.  Some of the members’ letters are available to view online.

Michael Kearns honored by NAS

Kearns joined the University of Pennsylvania faculty in 2002. He holds secondary appointments in the Economics department, as well as the departments of Statistics and Operations, and Information and Decisions within Penn’s Wharton School of Business. Kearns joined Amazon as a scholar in June 2020, and is focusing his efforts within the AWS organization on algorithmic fairness and privacy.

Kearns and Penn computer science professor colleague Aaron Roth are coauthors of the book “The Ethical Algorithm: The Science of Socially Aware Algorithm Design.” Earlier this year, the coauthors were awarded a 2021 PROSE Award by the Association of American Publishers in the computing and information sciences category. Kearns has published extensively in the areas of machine learning, algorithmic game theory, network science, computational social science, and algorithmic trading.

“I’m obviously excited and honored to be elected to the NAS, and I look forward to participating in their important studies and other activities,” Kearns said. “In that regard, my time at Amazon has given me practical industrial experience that will complement my academic background as well.”

With this year’s class, the NAS now has 2,461 active members, and 511 international members. International members are nonvoting members, with citizenship outside the United States.

The NAS is a nonprofit institution established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership and, along with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine, provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.