Leontief Wins Special Degree

Wasaily W. Leontief, Lee Professor of Economics, received an honorary degree in Paris from the Sorbonne last week. The bonoris cause degree cited his development of "input-output" analysis and cooperation with French colleagues.

Leontief's input-output analysis has been used by economic planners in socialist countries and market analysts in private enterprise countries, and has spread to more than 30 nations.

In a letter to the University of Paris Sorbonne, Leontief wrote that the award "represented further strengthening of personal and intellectual ties" and called it "an exceptional honor."

A native of Russia, Leontief came to Harvard in 1931 as an instructor of Economics, became assistant professor in 1933, associate professor in 1939, and professor in 1946. In 1947, he was named Frank W. Tausing Research Professor, a one-year appointment.