William Nordhaus 1941 – 2026

Biography

William Nordhaus was an American economist whose work earned him the Nobel Prize, the highest honor in his field. Born in Albuquerque on May 31, 1941, he built an academic career as a university teacher, spending decades in the classroom shaping how students understand the forces that move economies. As an economist, Nordhaus worked at the intersection of scholarship and public life, where careful research informs the decisions societies make about their future. His Nobel recognition placed him among the most respected economists of his generation. Nordhaus died on October 30, 2026, at the age of 85, leaving behind a legacy of teaching, scholarship, and a prize that marks a lifetime of contribution to economics.