Sir James A. Mirrlees, Nobel laureate, will give a lecture titled "Evolution and Rationality" today at 4 p.m. in 102 Kern Building.

A 1996 prize winner in economics, Mirrlees was published for his work in optimal taxation of income and welfare economics. His work on complex information and incentive problems has become a major component of modern economic analysis, according to a Penn State press release.

A faculty member of the economics department met Mirrlees in England and asked if he would visit Penn State.

"We were extremely pleased," said James Jordan, acting head of the Penn State economics department, about Mirrlees' visit.

The lecture, which is open to the public, is free and sponsored in part by the Henry Luce Foundation.