Badi H. Baltagi, Distinguished Professor of Economics in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has been named a 2025 Great Arab Minds Award laureate in the economics category. The honor, one of the Arab world’s most prestigious recognitions for intellectual achievement, celebrates Baltagi’s profound and lasting contributions to econometrics and economic data analysis.

The award was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, who congratulated Baltagi for his distinguished academic career and global impact. He highlighted Baltagi’s extensive scholarly output and noted that his work has become essential reading for researchers around the world.

“Professor Baltagi’s scholarship exemplifies the intellectual rigor and global impact that define the Maxwell School,” says Dean David M. Van Slyke. “His work has influenced generations of scholars and policymakers, and this international recognition speaks to both the depth of his contributions and the lasting value of fundamental research in economics.”

Launched in 2022, the Great Arab Minds Initiative honors exceptional Arab scholars, scientists and thinkers whose work advances knowledge and benefits humanity. Awards are presented annually in six fields: economics, medicine, natural sciences, engineering and technology, architecture and design, and literature and the arts. Often described as the “Arab Nobel,” the initiative seeks to spotlight Arab intellectual leadership on the global stage, inspire future generations and reinforce the value of research-driven solutions to complex global challenges. Award recipients are selected by international expert committees and recognized for careers marked by originality, influence and sustained excellence.

Baltagi, a senior research associate at the Maxwell-based Center for Policy Research, is recognized as a leading econometrician, particularly for his foundational work in panel data analysis, a methodology that combines cross-sectional and time-series data to study economic behavior over time. His research has shaped how economists analyze data related to labor markets, economic growth, health outcomes and regional development, influencing scholarship, policymaking and applied research across continents.

His research spans theoretical and applied econometrics, with particular focus on panel data models, spatial econometrics, health econometrics, wage dynamics and gravity models.

Baltagi has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles published in top journals such as Econometrica, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Political Economy, The Review of Economics and Statistics, Econometric Theory and Journal of Applied Econometrics. He is also the author of several highly influential books. “Econometric Analysis of Panel Data,” now in its sixth edition, is considered a definitive text in the field and is widely used by graduate students and researchers. His textbook “Econometrics,” also in its sixth edition, provides a comprehensive foundation in modern econometric methods. Additional works include “The Oxford Handbook of Panel Data” and “Health Econometrics.”

Beyond his publications, Baltagi has played a major leadership role in the economics profession. He previously served as editor of Economics Letters and Empirical Economics and has held editorial positions with several other leading journals. He is a fellow of multiple professional societies and a founding member of the International Association for Applied Econometrics. He has also conducted training programs for economists at institutions such as central banks and international organizations around the world.

Baltagi received a bachelor’s degree in statistics from the American University of Beirut, a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

He will formally receive the award at a ceremony in Dubai on Jan. 15 at the Museum of the Future, a global landmark dedicated to innovation, knowledge and forward-looking ideas.