In October 2015 it was announced that Deaton had won that year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. The BBC reported that Deaton was "delighted" and that he described himself as "someone who's concerned with the poor of the world and how people behave, and what gives them a good life". The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said that economic policy intended to reduce poverty could only be designed once individuals' consumption choices were understood, saying, "More than anyone else, Angus Deaton has enhanced this understanding. By linking detailed individual choices and aggregate outcomes, his research has helped transform the fields of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and development economics". New York University economist William Easterly said, "What was impressive about this Nobel is how many different fields Angus has contributed to". Easterly noted Deaton’s bravery in the face of the political aspects of his research area and the "tortuous details" involved in his work, adding: "No one accuses him of having an agenda on these questions, and there are a lot of people in this field who do have an agenda".