Walter W. McMahon has been Professor of Economics with a joint appointment as Professor of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1972, specializing in the economics of education and human capital, and in macroeconomic theory and analysis. He has worked in many developing countries, including acting as Chief Economist on the 25 Year Plan for Education in Indonesia, and conducting education sector assessments for the governments of Nepal, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Kuwait.