C. Eugene Steuerle was named winner of the $10,000 TIAA-CREF Paul A. Samuelson Award for Outstanding Scholarly Writing on Lifelong Financial Security, TIAA-CREF Institute said in a statement Monday.
Mr. Steuerle, the Richard B. Fisher chair at the Urban Institute and an institute fellow, was recognized for his book “Dead Men Ruling: How to Restore Fiscal Freedom and Rescue Our Future.”
In his book, Mr. Steuerle “explores ways to advance our economic security by bringing new resources to our government,” the statement said.
The book does not address institutional pension investment management, said Ken Luck, TIAA-CREF Institute spokesman, in an interview. The book examines “things in the economy that can be improved” to enhance financial security, Mr. Luck said.
The book “tackles one of the most pressing issues of today — making sure the nation invests in its future and its children, which cannot be done without restoring flexibility to our federal budget,” Mr. Steuerle said in the statement.
James Choi, professor of finance at Yale University and a judge of the Samuelson prize competition, said in the statement, “Steuerle’s work is exemplary in that it shows how our government’s fiscal situation is linked to various issues that have been solidifying for decades, and he lays out proposals that deserve serious consideration.”
The other judges were Eric J. Johnson, the Norman Eig professor of business, Columbia University; Brigitte Madrian, the Aetna professor of public policy and corporate management, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Jonathan Reuter, associate professor of finance, Carroll School of Management, Boston College; and John Rust, professor of economics, Georgetown University.
Ms. Madrian shared the Samuelson award in 2002 and 2011. Mr. Choi also shared the prize in 2011. Mr. Reuter shared the 2013 prize. All the judges are fellows of the institute.
The institute is a research arm of TIAA-CREF, which finances the prize. The institute did not provide financial support for Mr. Steuerle’s research, Mr. Luck said.
The Urban Institute focuses on economic and social policy research.
