In Memoriam: Joseph Cordes
April 6, 1949 – February 26, 2026
Joseph J. Cordes, GW Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration, Economics, and International Affairs, and Co-director of the GW Regulatory Studies Center, passed away on February 26, 2026. During his five-decade career at GW, Joe’s knowledge, curiosity, enthusiasm, and generosity touched countless people, and we in the GW Regulatory Studies Center are lucky to be among them.
He was an enthusiastic and instrumental supporter of the Regulatory Studies Center from our beginning, contributing his stature and expertise as co-director, along with Professor Gerald Brock. Since 2009, he brought so much to the Center and seemed to relish the opportunities it provided to explore new challenges and apply his deep knowledge to timely, real-world issues, such as advising the government on best practices for regulatory impact analysis. He was a natural educator who would light up the room, whether it was teaching seminars for Capitol Hill staff, short courses for international regulators and executives, or graduate student classes.
Joe was a cherished colleague and friend who enriched my GW experience with his knowledge, kindness, warmth, and energy. I will dearly miss our wide-ranging conversations, filled with insights on the latest academic articles, perspectives on current affairs, feedback on plans for RSC, and intel on the latest goings on in the GW community.
– Susan E Dudley, RSC Founder and Director, Distinguished Professor of Practice, Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration
Joe’s wide-ranging interest, knowledge, and enthusiasm were a crucial influence on my time at GW, first in his role as director of the interdisciplinary PhD in Public Policy before the formation of the Trachtenberg School, then in encouraging me to join the Trachtenberg School and further develop the MPP program in the early 2000’s, and then to work together (along with Susan Dudley) to prepare the charter documents for the Regulatory Studies Center and secure university approval. Joe and I spent many hours in delightful conversations ranging from the details of PhD exam answers to politics and Christianity, Joe’s enthusiasm and energy will be sorely missed.
– Gerald Brock, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy and Public Administration and former RSC Co-Director
I was always amazed by Joe’s breadth of knowledge — he could talk intelligently about almost any subject. I never left a conversation with Joe without having learned something, often on several distinct topics.
– Christopher Carrigan, Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration and RSC Co-director
Joe was one of my mentors when I arrived at GW as a newly minted PhD. As an economist, Joe widened my academic horizons beyond my native political science. This tutelage turned out to be crucial to my professional development, as regulatory studies is inherently multidisciplinary. On top of this, Joe was a downright decent human being who was a pleasure to be around, whether talking about Germany, the Jesuits, or any of his other many areas of experience and interest.
– Steven Balla, Associate Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Public Administration, and International Affairs and RSC Co-director
Joe was most obviously a towering intellect. But he was also a tremendous mentor, good friend and someone who was always curious and enjoyed discussing ideas and thoughts. But perhaps I most appreciated his outsized impact at GWU. With my having joined academia after a long career in the public and private sectors, being a close colleague of Joe's at Trachtenberg and the RSC was a unique asset to me and the entire Trachtenberg community.
– Roger Nober, Professor of Practice and Affiliated Scholar, former RSC Director
Joe was a generous and knowledgeable professor and colleague. He encouraged me to pursue my PhD in economics and offered invaluable guidance during my post-PhD job search. I was always amazed and inspired by the wisdom he shared in the meetings he participated in, covering topics ranging from real-time policy developments and fundamental economic principles to strategic advice for the Center. I will always be grateful for his mentorship and the example he set.
– Zhoudan (Zoey) Xie, PhD, former RSC Senior Policy Analyst
Dr. Cordes was one of the first professors I met in my first year as a PhD Student. At conferences, he had a way of finding me in the crowd, introducing me to people, and making students feel welcome in a world that can be intimidating to those just starting out. It was just as easy talking to him about my research as it was the history of the Mission District in San Francisco or growing up in California or our mostly shared taste in music. While he may be gone, I do not doubt that his legacy will live on in the many conversations, lectures, moments of guidance, and words of encouragement he had with his students and colleagues who looked up to him.
– Finn Dobkin, PhD Candidate and RSC Senior Policy Analyst
Joe’s contributions to the fields of public policy and economics are immense. Early in his career, he worked on tax policy in the U.S. Treasury and the Congressional Budget Office. He was a founding member and president of the Society for Benefit-Cost Analysis and on the editorial board of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis. At GW, he served as director of the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration and chair of the Faculty Senate Budget Committee, among numerous other roles. He cared deeply about the Center and invested his reputation and expertise in making it a success.
We will dearly miss our intellectually curious, ebullient, engaging, generous, and kind colleague and friend. He leaves a remarkable legacy in the institutions he helped form (including RSC) and the hundreds of students with whom he engaged as professor, mentor, advisor, and friend.