Porter said the appointment indicated to him that Harvard recognizes the scope of his work and is happy to see him work in areas that traditionally fall outside the purvey of HBS.

"It put, in some sense, more emphasis on parts of my work that are outside of the traditional definition of the Business School," Porter said. "Over time, my work broadened extensively, and now I am being encouraged to view that other part of my work as equally essential."

In the next few years, Porter plans to work in areas that intersect with the missions of the Kennedy School, the Law School, the Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, the Design School and the School of Public Health.

"We're turbo-charging the work on economic development and urban development," Porter said.

He also plans collaborations with Geyser University Professor William J. Wilson and IBM Professor of Business and Government Roger B. Porter, along with his former economics teacher, Ropes Professor of Political Economy Richard E. Caves.

Though Porter "has no current plans" to teach an undergraduate class, he says he wouldn't rule it out.

After graduating from Princeton as an aerospace major in 1969, Porter began his graduate studies at HBS, where he said Caves and University Professor Chris R. Christensen inspired him to his current path.

"For some mystical reason, [Christensen] really singled me out and gave me some special attention," Porter said. "I totally changed course. I had an aerospace degree."