Interview with W. Lee Hansen

On March 23, 2025, WAS President Benjamin Whitcomb interviewed Lee Hansen, longtime WAS member and former officer, in a conversation focusing on his latest book, Forgetting and Forgotten: Dementia and the Right to Die.

W. Lee Hansen, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His teaching and research has concentrated on the field of labor economics (how labor markets work, the economics of higher education, student financial aid and higher education finance). In addition, he has maintained a strong interest in improving faculty instruction and student learning in economics. Throughout his career he has been a member of the American Association of University Professors in its efforts to protect academic freedom and  strengthen faculty governance. In recent years he has also been a member of the independent Committee on Academic Freedom and Rights, a small group of UW-Madison faculty members protecting academic freedom and freedom of expression. Later in his career and while in retirement  he has written and continues to write on discrimination and its transformation into diversity and inclusion. Learn more about Dr. Hansen’s life and work at his website.

Sally's Story Almost eight million older Americans suffer from dementia, approximately two-thirds of them with Alzheimer’s Disease. Our story offers a way to mitigate the suffering of other individuals who might one day face dementia.

The Wisconsin Association of Scholars thanks Professor Hansen for sharing his insights and for his distinguished service to our nation, leadership in the field of workforce economics, and advocacy on behalf of academic freedom.