Stability and step size control for the solution of parabolic partial differential equations with finite difference methods served as the 1980 diploma thesis for Axel Börsch-Supan, marking the start of his dual career in mathematics and economics. Born in Darmstadt in 1954, his research focuses on the intersection of demographic shifts, population aging, and economic policy.
Academic Formation
Börsch-Supan attended Rabanus-Maurus-Gymnasium before pursuing higher education at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the University of Bonn. He later transitioned to the United States, earning his doctorate in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in June 1984. His dissertation, supervised by Daniel McFadden, examined discrete choice analysis regarding housing demand in West Germany and the United States.
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His teaching career began as an assistant professor of public policy at Harvard University between 1984 and 1987. He subsequently served as a professor of economic theory at the Technical University of Dortmund from 1987 to 1989. Between 1989 and 2011, he held a professorship for macroeconomics and public policy at the University of Mannheim, where he also established the Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging. Since 2011, he has acted as a director at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy, leading the Munich Center for the Economics of Aging. He currently holds a chair at the Technical University of Munich.
Institutional Roles and Research
Börsch-Supan manages the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, or SHARE-ERIC. His empirical research addresses socio-political challenges arising from an aging population. He has provided expertise to the World Bank, the OECD, the European Commission, and various governmental bodies.
Professional Recognition
He maintains membership in several scientific organizations, including the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, which he joined in 1998, and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, where he has been a member since 2000. In 2015, he became a corresponding member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. His bibliography includes extensive work on productivity in work teams, early retirement patterns, and economic reforms across Europe.
Fast facts
- Born: 1954, Darmstadt
- Citizenship: Germany
- Doctorate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1984
- Current Position: Technical University of Munich
- Key Role: Director, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging
- Languages: German
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of his research?
He investigates economic and socio-political issues linked to demographic change and population aging.
Which major survey project does he lead?
He is the Managing Director of SHARE-ERIC, the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe.
Achievements
- Held posts at Harvard University, University of Mannheim and Technical University of Dortmund
- Fields: economics
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