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Richard E. Sylla

Richard E. Sylla

Joined Stern 1990

Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Kaufman Management Center
44 West Fourth Street, 8-65
New York, NY 10012

E-mail rs5@stern.nyu.edu
Personal website

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Biography

Richard Sylla is a Professor Emeritus of Economics and the former Henry Kaufman Professor of the History of Financial Institutions and Markets at New York University Stern School of Business. He teaches courses in financial history, economic and business history of the United States, and comparative enterprise systems.

Professor Sylla has been with NYU Stern since 1990. His primary areas of research include historical studies of money, banking, and finance. He is the author of several books, including The American Capital Market and A History of Interest Rates. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, including the Journal of Economic History, Explorations in Economic History, Business History Review, and Enterprise & Society. He is also on the editorial board of many journals that include the Financial History Review, Enterprise and Society, and Economic and Financial History Abstracts. Professor Sylla has also been the recipient of several awards and grants including National Science Foundation grants, an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant and the Citibank Award for Excellence in Teaching at the Stern School. He served as President of the Economic History Association and the Business History Conference, and is currently the Chairman of the Museum of American Finance. He is a Fellow of the Cliometric Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Prior to joining Stern, Professor Sylla taught at North Carolina State and the University of Pennsylvania among others. Professor Sylla received his bachelor of arts from Harvard University before studying at the Indian Statistical Institute at Calcutta. He then received both his master of arts and his doctorate of philosophy from Harvard University.

Research Interests

  • Historical studies of money, banking and finance

Courses Taught

  • Development of Financial Institutions and Markets
  • Economic and Business History of the US
  • Global Perspectives on Enterprise Systems

Academic Background

Ph.D., Economics, 1969
Harvard University

M.A., Economics, 1965
Harvard University

B.A., Economics, 1962
Harvard University

Awards & Appointments

 
Business History Conference Lifetime Achievement Award 2011

Related News & Research

US Politics and Corporate Speech: A Two-Edged Sword

Professor Richard Sylla offers analysis on how a European-style national health insurance, where the government would take over the health industry, could impact pharmaceutical companies

Joint research from Professor Richard Sylla addressing financial systems, economic growth and globalization is referenced

Professor Richard Sylla weighs in on a story examining the role the federal government should play as Congress continues to negotiate the next coronavirus crisis relief bill

In a podcast interview, Professor Richard Sylla discusses the return of inflation, ultra-low interest rates and the financial impacts from the coronavirus crisis

Professor Richard Sylla is quoted in an article examining how Wall Street analysts are navigating the recent period of stock market volatility

Professor Richard Sylla offers his perspective on the significance of the New York Stock Exchange moving to all-electronic trading indefinitely

Professor Richard Sylla analyzes the market sell-off surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, noting a complacency about the growth in stocks prior to the outbreak

Professor Richard Sylla asserts that public perception of a crisis can be extremely consequential in financial markets

Professor Richard Sylla offers his perspective on how the US' trade deficit with India is a strength, not a weakness

Professor Richard Sylla argues that cryptocurrency innovations are likely to be nationalized by central banks

Professor Richard Sylla discusses the evolution of financial technology over the past 50 years

Professor Richard Sylla explains why the late Paul Volcker would have likely embraced the concept of government-backed digital currencies

Professor Richard Sylla discusses the ability of cryptocurrencies to make overseas payments less expensive and more secure

In an in-depth Q&A interview, Professor Richard Sylla analyzes the US stock market crash of 1929 and discusses the effect Black Thursday had on the economy

Professor Richard Sylla is interviewed for an article on historically low interest rates

Professor Richard Sylla is quoted in an article on Milton Friedman's views on capitalism in the US

Professor Richard Sylla is quoted in a story about the 1861 Milwaukee Bank Riot

Professor Richard Sylla is interviewed about the next economic recession

Professor Richard Sylla discusses the implications of research findings showing that 1 in 10 people pay for large purchases with cash rather than a credit card

Areas of Expertise

Economics

  • Economic History
  • Economic Indicators
  • Emerging Markets
  • Federal Reserve Bank/Central bank
  • Globalization & Trade
  • Interest Rates
  • Monetary Policy
  • Political Economy

Entrepreneurship

  • Entrepreneurship