Michael R. Strain is an American economist and policy analyst renowned for his work on labor markets, unemployment, and economic policy. He currently serves as the Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Paul F. Oreffice Senior Fellow in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a prominent conservative think tank. Additionally, Strain holds the position of Professor of Practice in the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, where he contributes to academic discourse on economic issues. He is also a research fellow at the IZA Institute of Labor Economics and a columnist for Project Syndicate, allowing him to influence both scholarly and public conversations on economics. Strain's research spans a wide array of topics, including labor economics, macroeconomics, public finance, and social policy. He has authored over 50 scholarly articles published in academic and policy journals, establishing himself as a key voice in these fields. His career began in the macroeconomics research group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he worked as an assistant economist from 2005 to 2008. Following this, he joined the Center for Economic Studies at the U.S. Census Bureau, further honing his expertise in economic data and analysis before transitioning to his roles at AEI and Georgetown. Throughout his professional journey, Strain has focused on practical applications of economic theory to inform policy decisions, particularly in areas affecting employment and fiscal responsibility. His affiliations with leading institutions underscore his influence in shaping economic policy debates in the United States and beyond.