One of the most influential economists in the world, N. Gregory Mankiw has spent his entire career balancing his time between academia and politics. Currently, he is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where his work on New Keynesian economics has placed him at the forefront of his field. Already he has written two extremely popular textbooks, including "Principles of Economics," which has sold over two million copies and has been translated into twenty languages. Throughout his prolific career, Mankiw has also published articles in both leading academic journals and major outlets such as The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In addition to his teaching and publishing credits, Mankiw was also an economic adviser to 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and former chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers from 2003-2005.
As an undergraduate at Princeton, Mankiw formed many lasting relationships. He was roommates with Richard Greenberg, who would later become a Tony Award-winning playwright. And Princeton was where Mankiw first met David Romer, who would also become a renowned economist as well as a coauthor. A top student his whole life, Mankiw had no difficulty with his courses at Princeton. After completing a 72-page long senior thesis titled "Understanding Employment Fluctuation," he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
Since leaving his alma mater in 1980, Mankiw has shown a strong connection to Princeton University –the place which significantly influenced his decision to pursue economics as a career. As a result, Mankiw is often seen attending class reunions and public events held on campus. In October 2011, for example, Mankiw returned to take part in a lecture series organized by the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton. The theme of the lecture series was, "Economic Recovery: Perils, Politics, and Possibilities." Mankiw captivated the audience of Princeton students and faculty members for over an hour with his talk titled, "The Challenges Facing Monetary and Fiscal Policy," and demonstrated the Princeton education that had propelled him to success in his field.