The National Economic Association (NEA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Patrick L. Mason, Chair and professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, has been awarded the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award. The award honors Black economists whose academic and professional contributions emanate excellence and dedication to the advancement of Black people and expanding the knowledge regarding the Black economic experience.
The Samuel Z. Westerfield Award, established in 1973, celebrates economists whose work promotes the NEA’s mission, focusing on training Black economists, fostering discussions about Black economic experiences, and advocating for alternative perspectives in economics. This distinguished honor is awarded every few years to individuals whose scholarship, teaching, community service, and institution-building represent the highest standards of achievement.
Dr. Mason’s work spans multiple areas of economics, with a focus on labor, political economy, development, education, social identity, and crime. He has a particular interest in racial inequality, among others, and helped to establish the field of stratification economics. A highly respected scholar, Dr. Mason has authored nearly 100 publications. His most recent book, The Economics of Structural Racism (Cambridge University Press), further elevates discussions about race and economics.
Complementing his extensive academic contributions, Dr. Mason has demonstrated remarkable leadership and service, including roles as past president of the National Economic Association, Program Director of the American Economic Association’s Committee on the Status of Minority Groups in the Economics Profession, and chairman of the board at Partners for Dignity & Rights.
The award presentation will take place during the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award Luncheon at the Allied Social Science Associations’ (ASSA) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA, on Saturday, January 4, 2025. The event will be held at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM PST.
For more information about the event, to purchase tickets or to become a sponsor, please visit the event’s page. Register by December 20th for the early bird discount. Please contact Hazel Robinson or Robynn Cox for the student discount promo code. If your organization would like to sponsor this event, please see the attached form for more information.
About the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award
The Samuel Z. Westerfield Award was established by the National Economic Association in 1973 when it was awarded posthumously to American Ambassador to Liberia, Samuel Zazu Westerfield, Jr – an outstanding teacher and university administrator, a dedicated official in government service, a talented international diplomat, and a successful and avid builder of institutions dedicated to economic development and the appreciation of the Black experience.