Joskow is the Elizabeth and James Killian Professor of Economics, Emeritus at MIT and former president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. He earned a PhD in Economics from Yale University, then served as an active MIT faculty member for 38 years, returning to MIT in 2018. He has published six books and more than 125 articles and papers in the areas of industrial organization, energy and environmental economics, competition policy, and government regulation of industry. Currently, he is a director of Exelon Corporation and a trustee of the Putnam Mutual Funds. He previously served on the boards of numerous companies and non-profit organizations, including State Farm Indemnity Company, TransCanada Corporation, National Grid PLC, Yale University, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Joskow is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association, and a Fellow of the Econometric Society. He has chaired the National Academies Board on Science, Technology and Economic Policy and been a member of the U.S. Secretary of Energy Advisory Board. He served on the Whitehead Institute Board of Directors from 1993 to 2007, returned to it in 2018, and currently chairs the Finance Committee, serves on the Development Committee and is the Vice Chair of the Board.