Honoring a Legacy of Selfless Service

Michael D. Intriligator (February 5, 1938–June 23, 2014) was an American economist at the University of California at Los Angeles where he was Professor of Economics, Political Science, and Policy Studies, and Co-Director of the Jacob Marschak Interdisciplinary Colloquium on Mathematics in the Behavioral Sciences. In addition, he was a Senior Fellow at the Milken Institute in Santa Monica, a Senior Fellow of the Gorbachev Foundation of North America in Boston, a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Science, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He received his Ph.D. in Economics at MIT in 1963 and the same year joined the UCLA Department of Economics.

His research interests included econometrics, health economics, reform of the Russian economy, and strategy and arms control. Dr. Intriligator served on the Research Committee of the Institute for Economics and Peace and on the United States Institute for Peace International Network for Economics and Conflict. Intriligator was co-founder and co-editor of the Handbooks in Economics series with Kenneth Arrow, as well as editor of Advanced Texbooks in Economics; the Handbook of Econometrics, the Handbook of Mathematical Economics, and was on the editorial boards of Economic Directions, Defence and Peace Economics, and Conflict Management and Peace Science.

Mike was Vice-chair of EPS from 1996 until 2012, and a trustee of our organization from 2013 until his death. But more than that he was a beloved colleague, a huge inspiration, and an unflagging supporter and fundraiser for EPS. Mike's interests were wide and varied. He also seemed to know everyone. Whenever we needed an introduction, Mike would say that he had edited an article with someone, or met them at a conference recently. He is sorely missed among our staff and membership.

After his death, his family requested donations be sent to EPS and that we establish a fund to support students who wish to build a career in peace economics. We are proud to announce that the Intriligator Student Fund will assist one promising graduate student in economics or a related field to attend our Annual International Conference on Economics and Security. The conference, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, addresses issues relating to peace and security broadly defined. We strive for a multi-disciplinary program comprising contributions with a wide range of theoretical and methodological approaches. Presenters at the conference are a mix of established professionals and graduate students. Part of our mission is to offer economists and up-and-coming economists an opportunity for presentation and publication; in this way we are helping to promote peace economics as an economic specialty.

Each year one student will be invited to give a paper, and be presented to the attendees in a plenary session. Travel expenses to the conference and registration fees will be covered.