July
Attiat F. Ott, Ph.D.
Emeritus Research Professor
Clark University
The Society is happy to bring to its readers a special profile of renowned Clark University Emeritus Research Professor Attiat F. Ott, formally a professor of economics at Clark University since 1969. Her research interests include public economics, macroeconomic theory and policy. Professor Ott’s illustrious career spans four decades. Through the years, Professor Ott had the great fortune of working with icons James M. Buchanan and Richard Musgrave. She was a scholar at The Brookings Institution where she and her late husband Professor David Ott wrote the most successful and well-read book: Federal Budget Policy, three editions of which were published. She was a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where she and her husband David Ott published a number of economic policy studies. In the late 1970, she was an invited scholar at the Hoover Institution where she benefited greatly from association with great scholars like Milton Friedman and George Stigler. During her tenure at Clark University, Professor Ott also enjoyed a long relationship with the Earhart Foundation and the Olin Foundation who graciously funded her research and that of many of her PhD students. As a professor of Public Economics at Clark University, she chaired 53 dissertations in the fields of macroeconomics and public economics. Both the Earhart Foundation and the Olin Foundation are acknowledged for their generous financial support of Professor Ott’s PhD students at the dissertation stage. In recognition of her contribution to graduate education, Clark University dedicated the seminar room where she taught all her graduate classes as “The Attiat Ott Seminar Room”.
Society Executive Vice President Dr. Katherine Virgo recently caught-up with Professor Ott to discuss her trajectory from Cairo University (Bachelors in Economics in 1956) to Clark University in 1969. In reminiscing about the beginning of her career, Professor Ott recalls “Few majored in economics, especially women!” I was the first woman to graduate from the Department of Economics at Cairo University and with the highest honors.” By the time Professor Ott was ready to graduate and pursue her Ph.D. in economics, the Suez Crisis (Second Arab-Israeli war) had erupted. She planned to attend the London School of Economics but, because the United Kingdom had invaded Egypt, she could not go there because she was sponsored by the Egyptian government and the British government froze the Egyptian government’s funds in the UK. Alternatively, she set her sights on the United States. While considering Harvard University, Professor Ott learned of the university’s policy on gender segregation. Since female students had to enroll at Radcliffe, she opted to go elsewhere. Having read and been impressed by Michigan University Professor Richard Musgrave’s work, and Professor Kenneth Boulding’s Microeconomics textbook, Professor Ott decided to enroll at the University of Michigan.
How did you first hear about the Society?
Professor John Virgo (IAES founder and first president) enlisted me to be part of the Society and I am grateful for that. I would say that the IAES has done a great deal to encourage aspiring people to conduct research that has relevance and timely. I commend the Society for that.
How has your involvement with the Society enhanced your research?
The Society has contributed to disseminating economic knowledge, specifically devoting some issues of the journals to research topics such as developing the African continent. The Society set aside an entire issue for the publication of papers presented at a conference at African universities, where African scholars attended as presenters and commentators. This was a great contribution, because people know about the kind of work that the Society has published. Information has been spread to other countries as well as to researchers who are interested in a specific subject, but have no outlet for their work.
The Atlantic Economic Journal’s September 2003 special issue on “William E. Simon’s Contribution to Economic Policy: A Retrospective Look at the Simon Agenda” highlighted Simon’s extensive contribution to economic policy. As Guest Editor, how did delving into Simon’s philosophies enhance your perspectives on his lasting professional legacy?
William Simon’s contribution includes not only serving as Secretary of the Treasury, but also serving as head of the Olin Foundation. While there, he funded research that had value, not just for teaching, but also for public policy. Attiat got to know William Simon, U.S. Treasury Secretary, prior to the support of the Olin Foundation, where he was its president, for her research. He was considering some new tax legislation for potential enactment and she was invited to be part of the group. “I guess I impressed him because from that time on I had very good contact with William Simon.”
The Society’s conferences bring great minds together to disseminate some of the most pressing issues in economics. As a member of the Program Committee for several conferences, what advice do you have for someone who is considering attending one of the conferences?
Conferences present excellent opportunities for newcomers in the field of economics, because many young scholars do not have the opportunities that many of us (old hands) have had. Not every person is affiliated with organizations like the Brookings Institution, the American Enterprise Institute, the Hoover Institution or George Mason University. The IAES provides a service that needs to be available to economists, especially the newcomers who have recently completed graduate school. These days there is not much grant money around. When there is money, it unfortunately goes primarily to established scholars. Going abroad, meeting people and, as newcomers to the world of “published” research in economics, making a contribution abroad, expands their horizons as well as cements relationships among scholars across continents. The Society’s conferences make everyone feel like they are part of a larger community of scholars.
It is just like buying a product. You want a product that people have used and have commented on. Being part of the Society, going to its conferences and listening to presenters, newcomers to the field get to know participants who can help them get in the queue for research funds and can offer support for their activities, to enhance their contributions towards furthering their careers. This is a function the IAES does for young scholars as it introduces them to scholars as well as advances in the discipline. As they grow professionally, they in turn are able to support younger professionals in the same fashion as they themselves were supported by the Society. I salute the Society for this function. The Society does something that is extremely worthwhile for young scholars, who ordinarily would not have the chance to get exposure to the networking opportunities the IAES provides. It is worth emphasizing, that your research has to answer an important and relevant question. If you do that, you will be noticed. The people that have the funds will seek you.