Ann Margaret Harding (18 May 1958 – 30 January 2023) was an Australian economist and Emeritus Professor at the

University of Canberra The University of Canberra (UC) is a public university, public research university with its main campus located in Bruce, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. The campus is from Belconnen Town Centre, and from Canberra's Civic, Australian ...

Academic career

Harding completed a Bachelor of Economics from the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

. She was a contributor to

Business Review '' Economic Insights'' (formerly ''Business Review'') is a quarterly publication of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia comprising articles written by in-house staff economists aimed at readers with a general interest in economic issues. Topi ...

magazine in 1980 and then joined the Department of the Parliamentary Library in Canberra as a legislative research specialist in January 1981. In 1982 she was employed as a policy analyst by the Department of Social Security. She graduated with a PhD titled
Lifetime income distribution and redistribution in Australia: Applications of a dynamic cohort microsimulation model
' from the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

in 1991. Harding returned to Australia to the University of Canberra where she was appointed Professor of Applied Economics and Social Policy on 12 October 1992, at 34 becoming one of the youngest women professors in Australia. In 1993 she founded and was inaugural Director of the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling, remaining in that position until 2009, when she moved into a research role. She was made an Emeritus Professor of the University of Canberra in 2014. Harding's research focused on microsimulation modelling and she was a regular contributor to public policy. Harding died on 30 January 2023, at the age of 64.

Honours and recognition

Harding was elected a Fellow of the

Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA) is an independent, non-governmental organisation devoted to the advancement of knowledge and research in the social sciences. It has its origins in the Social Science Research Council of Aus ...

in 1996. In the 2016 Australia Day Honours she was appointed

Officer of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

for "distinguished service to education in the field of applied economics and social policy analysis, as an academic, researcher and author, and to professional organisations". The Ann Harding Conference Centre at the University of Canberra is named in recognition of her contribution to the university.

Selected works

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harding, Ann 1958 births 2023 deaths Officers of the Order of Australia Fellows of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia University of Sydney alumni Alumni of the London School of Economics Academic staff of the University of Canberra Australian economists Australian women economists