It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing on October 26th of Alan Heston (1934-2024), Professor Emeritus of Economics and in the South Asia Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania. Professor Heston did groundbreaking work in developing purchasing power parity (PPP) measurements that enabled meaningful comparisons of living standards across countries and over time. Along with collaborators Robert Summers and Irving Kravis, Professor Heston developed the International Comparison Program (ICP) and the Penn World Table (PWT), which have been major resources for economists, policymakers, and researchers worldwide. The Penn World Table data have been used in numerous economic growth, development and international trade studies. For their work on the ICP and PWT, Alan Heston, Bob Summers and Irving Kravis were all recognized as American Economic Association Distinguished Fellows.
Professor Heston's passion for understanding international economic comparisons began early in his career with his work on India and Indian agriculture during the 1960s. He spent several years working with the Indian Statistical Institute, developing methodologies for measuring agricultural output and prices across Indian states. His memoirs describe his efforts to reach a greater understanding of income differences around the world.