Amos Golan Professor Economics
- Degrees
- PhD, University of California at Berkeley
MS, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
BA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem - Bio
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Amos Golan directs the Info-Metrics Institute at AU. His main area of research is information, information processing and optimal decision rules based on efficient use of information (Info-Metrics). Golan is also
- Fellow, AAAS
- External Professor, The Santa Fe Institute
- Senior Associate, Pembroke College, Oxford (August, 2016 – September, 2021)
- 2020-2021 Outstanding Paper Award, International Journal of Forecasting
- 2019 Summer at the Census Scholar
- Fellow (Editorial), Econometric Reviews
- Elected Member, International Statistical Institute
- Member, Inequality: Measurement, Interpretation, and Policy Network of the Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Global Working Group (HCEO)
- Senior Fellow, Rimini Center for Economic Analysis
- Visiting Fellowship (3 years); St. Cross College, Oxford (2013-2016)
- NSF/American Statistical Association/Census Senior Research Fellow
- Senior Fellow, European Institutes for Advanced Studies (EURIAS), University of Bologna
- Research Fellow, The Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Munich, Germany)
- Outstanding Scholarship, Research, and Other Professional Contributions (2008), American University
- See Also
- 'Foundations of Info-Metrics' (Book, 2018)
- 'Foundations' Book - Web Support
- Info-Metrics Institute
- 'Advances in Info-Metrics' (Edited Volume, 2021)
- For the Media
- To request an interview for a news story, call AU Communications at 202-885-5950 or submit a request.
Teaching
Fall 2024
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ECON-824 Advanced Econometric Methods
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ECON-883 Sem: Empirical Microeconomics
Spring 2025
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ECON-823 Econometric Methods
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ECON-825 Sem in Study of Info-Met/Infer
Scholarly, Creative & Professional Activities
Selected Publications
Selected Recent Works
- Information theory: A foundation for complexity science (with J. Harte), Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 2022.
- Proving that info-metrics (and Max Entropy) satisfy the principle of causation. Understanding the Constraints in Maximum Entropy Methods for Modeling and Inference (with D. Foley), IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 2023 (computer.org/csdl/journal/tp /2023/03/09805434/1Erli5AVROU).
- Information and its Value (with M. Dunn), Advances in Info-Metrics: Information and Information Processing across Disciplines (OUP), 2021.
- Info-metrics for Modeling and Inference with Complex and Uncertain Pandemic Information, The Complex Alternative: Complexity Scientists on the Covid-19 Pandemic, 461-472.
- An information-theoretic approach for forecasting interval-valued SP500 daily returns (with Tuang and A Ullah), International j. of Forecasting 37 (3), 1317-1317 (2020)
- Does the US Navy’s reliance on objective standards prevent discrimination in promotions and retentions? (with W. Greene and J. Perloff), Plos one 16 (4)
Books
- Amos Golan, Foundations of Info-Metrics (2018), Oxford University Press.
- Jeffrey M. Perloff, Larry S. Karp, Amos Golan (2007), Estimating Market Power and Strategies, Cambridge University Press.
- Amos Golan, George G. Judge, Douglas Miller (1996), Maximum Entropy Econometrics: Robust Estimation with Limited Data, John Wiley & Sons.
Selected Articles
- Golan, A., Info-Metrics for Modeling and Inference, Minds and Machines (2018).
- Golan, A. and A. Ullah, Interval estimation: An Information Theoretic Approach, Econometric Reviews (2017).
- A. Golan and R. Lumsdaine, "On the Construction of Prior Information - An Info-Metrics Approach," Advances in Econometrics 36 (2016).
- Henderson, H., A. Golan and S. Seabold, "Incorporating Prior Information When True Priors are Unknown: An Information-Theoretic Approach for Increasing Efficiency in Estimation," Economic Letters 127 (2015), 1-5.
- Chen, M. and A. Golan, "What May Visualization Processes Optimize?"
- A. Golan and A. Caticha, "An Entropic Framework for Modeling Economies" Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, August 2014.
- Information Dynamics in Minds and Machines, February 2014.
- On the Foundations and Philosophy of Info-Metrics in Lucture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS), Proceedings Volume 7318.
- A. Golan, "An Entropic Estimator for Linear Inverse Problems" (with Henryk Gzyl) in Entropy 2012, 14(5), 892-923.
- An Information Theoretic Estimator for the Mixed Discrete Choice Model (with William Greene) Handbook of Empirical Economics and Finance, Edited by Aman Ullah and David E. A. Giles, Chapman and Hall/CRC 2010, Pages 71-86.
- A. Golan and H. Gzyl, "A Concentrated, Nonlinear Information-Theoretic Estimator for the Sample Selection Model," Entropy 2010, 12(6), 1569-1580.
- Identifying Strategies and Beliefs Without Rationality Assumptions (with James Bono) Link to paper (older version).
- US Navy Promotion and Retention by Race and Sex (with Jeff Perloff and William Greene).
- A. Golan, "Information and Entropy Econometrics—A Review and Synthesis," Foundations and Trends® in Econometrics: Vol. 2: No 1–2, pp 1-145 (A printed and bound version of this article is available at a 50% discount from Now Publishers. This can be obtained by entering the promotional code MC08004 on the order form at now publishers. You will then pay $45/Euro plus postage).
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A. Golan and E. Maasoumi, "Information Theoretic and Entropy Methods: An Overiew" (2008)
- A. Golan, "Information and Entropy Econometrics–Volume Overview and Synthesis," Journal of Econometrics (2007).
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A. Golan, J. Lane and E. McEntarfe, "The Dynamics of Worker Reallocation within and Across Industries." Economica (2007) 74, 1-20
- X. Wu, J. Perloff and A. Golan, "Effect of Government Policies on Urban and Rural Income Inequality," Review of Income and Wealth (2006) 52, 213-235.
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A. Golan, A. Bhati and B. Buyuksahin, "An Information-Theoretic Approach for Image Reconstruction: The Black and White Case" in Bayesian Inference and Maximum Entropy Methods in Science and Engineering: 25th International Workshop (MAXENT 2005), K. Knuth, ed. (2005).
- U.V. Toussaint, A. Golan and V. Dose and, "Maximum Entropy Decomposition of Quadrupole Mass Spectra." Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A 22(2), Mar/Apr 2004, 401-406.
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A. Golan and J. M. Perloff, "Superior Forecasts of the U.S. Unemployment Rate Using a Nonparametric Method," Review of Economics and Statistics 88(1), 2004, 433-438.
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A. Golan, E. Moretti and J. M. Perloff, "A Small Sample Estimation of the Sample Selection Model," Econometric Reviews 23(1), 2004, 71-91.
- A. Golan and L. Marsh, "An Information Theoretic Approach to Estimating Missing Categorical Dependent Variable Values," American Statistical Association Proceedings (2004).
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A. Golan "An Information Theoretic Approach for Estimating Nonlinear Dynamic Models," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics (December, 2003) Vol. 7: No. 4.
- A. Golan and H. Gzyl, Priors and Information-Theoretic Estimation, American Statistical Association Proceedings (2003).
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A. Golan and H. Gzyl, "A Generalized Maxentropic Inversion Procedure for Noisy data," Applied Mathematics and Computation 127 (2002) 249-260.
- A. Golan, "Information and Entropy Econometrics–Editor’s view," J. Econometrics 107, 1-2 (2002), 1-15.
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A. Golan and J. M. Perloff, "Comparison of Maximum Entropy and Higher-Order Entropy Estimators," J. Econometrics 107, 1-2 (2002), 195-211.
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A. Golan and D. Volker, "Tomographic Reconstruction from Noisy Data," Bayesian Inference and Maximum Entropy Methods in Science and Engineering: 21st International Workshop (MAXENT 2001), R. Fry, ed. (Am. Inst. Physics, Forthcoming).
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A. Golan and D. Volker, "A Generalized Information Theoretical Approach to Tomographic Reconstruction," J. of Physics A: Mathematical and General (2001) 1271-1283.
- A. Golan, "A Simultaneous Estimation and Variable Selection Rule" J. Econometrics (January, 2001), 101:1, 165-193. (Incomplete version)
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A. Golan, L. Karp and J. M. Perloff, “Estimating Firms' Mixed Price and Advertising Strategies: Coke and Pepsi," J. Bus. Econ. Stat. (October, 2000), 18: 4, 398-409.
- A. Golan, J. M. Perloff and Z. Shen, "Estimating a Demand System With Non-negativity Constraints: Mexican Meat Demand," Review of Economics and Statistics (2001), 83(3), 541-550.
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Golan and S. Vogel, “Estimation of Non-Stationary Social Accounting Matrix Coefficients With Supply-Side Information,” Economic Systems Research (December, 2000), 12:4, 447-471.
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M. Crouchane, A. Golan and D. Nickerson, "Estimating and Evaluation of Loan Discrimination--An Informational Approach," J. Housing Research (2000), 11:1, 67-90.
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Y. Agnon, A. Golan and M. Shearer, "Nonparametric, Nonlinear, Short-Term Forecasting: Theory and Evidence for Nonlinearities in the Commodity Markets," Econ. Letters 65 (1999) 293-299.
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A. Golan, “Maximum Entropy Approach for Estimating Nonlinear Dynamic Models,” Maximum Entropy and Bayesian Methods, W. V. D. Linden and V. Dose, ed. (Kluwer Academic Press, 1999).
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A. Golan, E. Moretti and J. Perloff, "A Small-Sample Estimation of the Sample-Selection Model."
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A. Golan, E. Moretti and J. Perloff, "An Informational Based Sample-Selection Estimation Model of Agricultural Workers Choice Between Piece-Rate and Hourly Work," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 81 (1999) 735-741.
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A. Golan, "Maximum Entropy, Likelihood and Uncertainty: A Comparison," Maximum Entropy and Bayesian Methods, G. Erickson, ed. (Kluwer Academic Press, 1998).
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A. Golan, G. G. Judge and J. Perloff, "Estimation and Inference With Censored and Ordered Multinomial Response Data," Journal of Econometrics 79 (1997) 23-51.
- A.Golan, G. G. Judge and D. Miller, "Information Recovery in Simultaneous Equations' Statistical Models," Handbook of Applied Economic Statistics, D. Giles and A. Ullah, eds. (Marcel Dekker, 1998) 365-380.
- A. Golan, G. Judge, and J. Perloff, "A Maximum Entropy Approach to Recovering Information from Multinomial Response Data," Journal of the American Statistical Association 91 (1996) 841-853.
- A. Golan, G. Judge, and L. Karp, "A Maximum Entropy Approach to Estimation and Inference in Dynamic Models or Counting Fish in the Sea Using Maximum Entropy," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 20 (1996) 559-582.
- A. Golan, G. Judge, and J. Perloff, "Estimating the Size Distribution of Firms Using Government Summary Statistics," The Journal of Industrial Economics 44 (1996) 69-80.
- A. Golan, G. Judge, and S. Robinson, "Recovering Information from Incomplete or Partial Multisectoral Economic Data," The Review of Economics and Statistics 76 (1994) 541-549.
- A. Golan, "The Discrete Continuous Choice of Economic Modeling or Quantum Economic Chaos," Mathematical Social Sciences 21 (1991) 261-286.
Research Interests
- Info-Metrics and Information Processing: see Info-Metrics Institute
- Information Theoretic Methods of Estimation & Inference
- Information and Entropy Econometrics: Entropy/Information and GME Resources
- Statistics and Information Systems
- Image Reconstruction: Examples of Image Reconstruction
- Econometrics/Micro-econometrics (Theory and Applied)
- Policy and Applied Micro Economics
- Linear and Nonlinear Dynamics of Economic Systems and Data
See also:
- The 2nd Conference on Information and Entropy Econometrics: In Honor of George Judge (Sept. 23-25, 2005)
- Information and Entropy Econometrics: A Conference in Honor of A. Zellner (Sept. 19-23, 2003)
Honors, Awards, & Fellowships
- NSF/ASA/Census Senior Research Fellow
- Research Fellow - The Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Munich, Germany)
- Elected Member – International Statistical Institute
- American University's Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research, and Other Professional Contributions (2008)
- Senior Visiting Fellowship (2007) - Institute of Advanced Study (University of Bologna)
- Visiting Fellowship / Appointment--St. Cross College, Oxford (2013-2016)
Professional Services
Editorial Services
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Guest Editor, Journal of Econometrics. Special Two-Issues on “Information and Entropy Econometrics,” (Volume 107, Issues 1-2, March, 2002).
- Guest Co-Editor (with Y. Kitamura), Journal of Econometrics. Special Issue on “Information and Entropy Econometrics,” based on selected papers presented at the IEE Conference (2007).
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Guest Co-Editor (with E. Maasoumi), Econometric Reviews. Special Issue on “Information and Entropy Econometrics,” based on selected papers presented at the IEE2 Conference.
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Guest Co-Editor (with E. Maasoumi), Econometric Reviews. Special Issue on Info-Metrics: Theory and Applications in the Social Sciences," based on selected papers presented at the Info-Metrics Fall, 2010 Conference.
- Editorial Board and Associate Editor: Econometric Reviews
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Editorial Board: Foundations and Trends in Econometrics
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Editorial Board (until 2006): Entropy, An On-Line International and Interdisciplinary Journal of Entropy and Information Studies
Selected Additional Special Courses and Tutorials
- Chiang Mai University, Thailand: Info-Metrics Tutorial (May 2013, January 2014)
- Info-Metrics Institute: Two-Day Info-Metrics Tutorial (July 2012, July 2013)
- American University: Five-Day Info-Metrics Tutorial (July 2011)
- Mongolian Central Bank and Ministry of Finance; New and Information-Theoretic Econometrics – Training on analyzing complex and incomplete data (June, 2007).The Netherlands Network of Economics, one/two week course on New and Information-Theoretic Econometrics (May, 1997; June, 2001; June, 2004).
- The Scandinavia Network of Universities, one week course on New and Maximum Entropy Econometrics (Copenhagen, May, 1999).The Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, one week course on New and Maximum Entropy Econometrics (Munich, Germany, July, 1999).
- Economic Research Service – USDA, one week course on New and Maximum Entropy Econometrics (Washington, DC, October 2000).C Berkeley, two weeks course on New and Maximum Entropy Econometrics (1996, 1998).