Professor Rachel Griffith of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and made a CBE for her services to economic policy.

Rachel is Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester and Deputy Research Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Her research considers the ways that public policy affect firms and people. Her work has considered what drives the process of innovation and what determines differences in productivity levels between firms.

She is interested in understanding dietary choices, looking at the ways that public policy affects the choices that individuals make over the foods they purchase and their activity levels, and the choices that the food industry makes over what foods they offer.

Her work combines economic theory, econometric methods and applies them to detailed micro data to address these questions. She believes passionately in the importance of open and informed public debate.

Rachel did not come to academia though the traditional route. She grew up in the US and quit school at the age of 16. She spent a number of years working as a waitress and came to Europe to travel. She returned to education and completed her Bachelor's degree at 22. She spent a number of years working in a small charity before coming to work at the IFS in 1993 and studied part-time for a PhD.

Rachel is currently serving as President of the European Economic Association and as Managing Editor of the Economic Journal – she is the first woman to hold either of these positions. Last year, she was honoured with the Birgit Grodal award for the leading European-based female economist. She is a Fellow of the British Academy.

Earlier this week, Rachel was in Germany at the University of Wuppertal to receive the Schumpeter School Price 2015 for her pioneering contributions to the economic and political determinants of innovation and productivity.