Ralf R. Meisenzahl

 Vice President and Director of Financial Research
 Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
​[my official webpage]   [my CV​]
Ralf focuses on empirical research in financial economics, macroeconomics, and economic history. His work has been published in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Financial Studies. Ralf previously served as co-editor in chief (with Karen Clay, Carnegie Mellon University) of Explorations in Economic History (2022-2025). He is currently serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Risk and Insurance and the executive committee of the International Banking, Economics, and Finance Association (IBEFA).  Ralf also teaches at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (iMBA). He received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University and his Diplom in Economics from the University of Mannheim.

Recent Research​

Life Insurers' Private Credit Investments and Annuity Market Share​​

We show that PE-owned life insurers expanded their private credit supply to financial issuers and assets-backed securities to capture market share in the indexed annuities market. [link]

The Research University, Invention, and Industry: Evidence from Germany 1760-1900​

We show that the emergence of the research university in Germany around 1800 increased inventive activity and fostered industrialization in places close to research universities. [link]​

​The contents of this website are my own and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views or policies of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Board of Governors, or staff of the Federal Reserve System.
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