Ida Craven Merriam (1904–1997)[1] was an American economist and statistician who became "one of the seminal figures in the early administration of the Social Security program",[2] helping to found the nonprofit National Academy of Social Insurance.
[8] After completing her studies, she worked for the Encyclopedia of Social Sciences and as an assistant professor at the Connecticut College for Women, and married Mylon Merriam in 1933.
[6] She left her position at Connecticut College in 1936 to work in the research and statistics bureau of the Social Security Administration,[2][9] soon after the creation of the SSA in 1935,[4] She became the head of that unit[2] and Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Research and Statistics in 1955.
[6] As Assistant Commissioner, she published special reports on topics including housing, benefit levels, health insurance, disability, widows, work-life balance, prospects for future retirees, and related social welfare systems in Europe.
"[10] The United States Civil Service Commission gave Merriam a Federal Woman's Award in 1966, and she also won the Distinguished Service Award of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.