It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Peter F. Bell, Professor Emeritus of Economics. He was the Head Boy at John Lyon School in 1957-58. Dr. Bell earned his B.A. and M.A. from Trinity College Dublin and his Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin, Madison. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University’s Economic Growth Centre and joined the SUNY Purchase faculty in 1975. As one of the first economists at Purchase, he helped establish and build the economics program — one that was pioneering in that it emphasized critical thinking over adherence to contemporary mainstream economic theory. Dr. Bell served as department chair for many years. He spent nearly 35 years teaching and mentoring countless Purchase students and junior colleagues before retiring in 2009. 

In recognition of his outstanding teaching, Dr. Bell was awarded the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. But his impact as an educator extends far beyond the Purchase community. He was a passionate advocate for economics education and served for over a decade as the Executive Director of the New York State Council on Economics Education, where he worked to infuse economics education into the K-12 curricula of students in New York State. He also worked closely on curricular development with the Westchester High School Partnership for Economics Education. In recognition of his contributions to public education, Dr. Bell was honoured with the Outstanding Service Award of the Westchester Council for the Social Studies. 

Dr. Bell was a political economist whose scholarship focused on the economies of developing nations. He examined the economy as a function of broad human issues, including political conditions, social institutions involving power and class, and the exploitation of low-wage earners. He was internationally recognized for his work on the economies of Thailand and featured in The NY Times several times. Post-retirement, he consulted on economics curriculum development and taught part-time at Marymount Manhattan College’s Bedford Hills College Program until 2020.  

Dr. Bell was a deeply admired professor with exceptionally dedicated students and is remembered fondly by his colleagues and friends as an advocate for social and economic justice.