ISR honors former director David Lam with research symposium
June 12, 2023
Contact: Jon Meerdink ([email protected])
ANN ARBOR — The University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research honored former director David Lam with a research symposium on Friday, May 19. Numerous former colleagues, students, and others affected by Lam’s work throughout his time at ISR and elsewhere spoke, capping a career in the social sciences spanning more than 40 years.
“We were thrilled to highlight David’s exceptional work at ISR,” said Kate Cagney, director of the Institute for Social Research. “David leaves a legacy of success, and the great work of the students he mentored and colleagues he helped speaks for itself. He embodies the values of ISR, and we will continue to draw from and celebrate his work.”
Lam, who served as ISR’s director from 2015-21, spent the bulk of his career focused on the intersection between economics and demography in developing countries. He spent significant time in both Brazil and South Africa, serving as a visiting researcher at the Institute for Applied Economic Research in Rio de Janeiro and a visiting professor in the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town.
A member of the U-M faculty since 1983, Lam held a number of leadership positions in addition to his role as the director of ISR. He also served as the director of the Population Studies Center, director of the Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging, and chaired the U-M Economics department.
Below is a selection of pictures from the event. ISR thanks David for his years of service and wishes him the very best in his retirement.