Michael E. O'Hanlon

I grew up in the Finger Lakes region of western New York where I worked on a dairy farm, developed a love for astronomy and history, ran track and x-country (badly), and was lucky to be part of a great family. Studied physics at Hamilton College and Princeton, the latter with the “gravity group,” where one year we tried and failed to disprove Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity! I served in the Peace Corps in DRC—amazing experience. Back at Princeton, I struggled for a while to find my way in grad school, but ultimately crossed the finish line with degrees in engineering and public policy. Next, I had the honor and pleasure to work for 5 years at the Congressional Budget Office, with lots of good folks, and then moved to Brookings in 1994, where I’ve been ever since. Married to a great wife; we have two awesome daughters. Passions outside work include tennis and advocacy for those with autism. I feel lucky and blessed though it often hasn’t been an easy path.