Lebanese economist and academic Badi Hani Baltagi was named the 2025 Great Arab Minds Award winner in economics, in recognition of “his pioneering work in econometrics and economic data analysis, particularly in the field of panel data,” according to a statement issued Sunday by Dubai’s Media Office.  The Great Arab Minds initiative was launched in January 2022 by Emirati Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum and backed by $27.2 million to support and celebrate Arab pioneers.  The award honors scientists, academics and innovators across a wide range of disciplines, including economics, medicine, natural sciences, engineering, architecture and the arts.  The 2025 Economics Committee was chaired by UAE Economy Minister Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.  Baltagi’s work focuses heavily on panel data analysis, a method that enables economists to study trends more precisely by combining information across multiple time periods and data sources. His research has become foundational for economists and policymakers seeking evidence-based insights into economic planning and development.  Sheikh Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, congratulated Baltagi in a post on X on Sunday.  “We congratulate Professor Badi Hani Baltagi from Lebanon on winning the Great Arab Minds 2025 Award in Economics,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote. “He is a distinguished professor of economics at Syracuse University and has made significant contributions to econometrics and economic data analysis. He has published more than 200 academic papers and his book on economic analysis is regarded as a key reference for researchers worldwide."  Baltagi is the author of Econometric Analysis of Panel Data, a key textbook for economics students and researchers worldwide. Beyond academia, he has trained advanced economists and analysts at major international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank and several national central banks.  Born in Beirut in 1954, his academic journey began with a bachelor’s degree in statistics from the American University of Beirut in 1974, followed by a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University (1975) and a PhD in economics from the University of Pennsylvania (1979).  His research spans economic theory, econometrics and data analysis, with a particular emphasis on the effects of public policy on health outcomes, wages and economic development.  Mohammed Al Gergawi, UAE minister of cabinet affairs and chairman of the Higher Committee for the Great Arab Minds initiative, informed Baltagi of his selection during a video call, the statement said. He praised the "long-term impact of Baltagi's research, noting that his analytical tools and economic models have become central to economic planning and development forecasting."  Gergawi concluded that "the award serves as inspiration for emerging Arab economists and researchers who are shaping the region’s future development." (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: L'Orient Today