People

Daniel Klein is professor of economics and JIN Chair at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, and director of the Adam Smith Program. He is the author of Smithian Morals, Central Notions of Smithian Liberalism, The Spirit of Smithian Laws, and Knowledge and Coordination: A Liberal Interpretation. He is chief editor of Econ Journal Watch.

Erik W. Matson serves as co-director of the Adam Smith Program. He is the Gibbons Fellow in Economics at the Busch School of Business at The Catholic University of America and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center. His books include A History of Christian Political Economy: From the Patristics to the Present (B&H Academic, 2026) and New Paternalism Meets Older Wisdom: Reflections from Smith and Hume on Rationality, Welfare, and Behavioural Economics (Institute for Economics Affairs, 2024).  

Donald J. Boudreaux is Professor of Economics at George Mason University and former Chairman of GMU's Department of Economics. He is also a Senior Fellow at George Mason's Mercatus Center. He writes a weekly column for AIER and blogs regularly at Cafe Hayek (www.cafehayek.com).

Michaela Loughran is the deputy director of the Adam Smith Program. She completed her MA in economics at GMU in 2025, after graduating with a double major in history and economics. She served previously as managing editor for a classical education nonprofit.

Zeljka Buturovic is a visiting scholar with the Adam Smith Program for the fall 2026 semester. She is a senior research associate professor at the Institute of Social Sciences in Belgrade, Serbia. She mostly works in bioethics (end of life decision-making, organ donation, and reproductive ethics), rational-choice and decision-making. She holds a PhD in psychology from Columbia.

Robert Biolsi is a 5th year Ph.D. Candidate and Graduate Lecturer in the Economics Department at George Mason University. He attained his undergraduate degree in Economics from Marist College. He holds a MS in Quantitative Methods and Modeling from Baruch College and a MA in Economics from George Mason University. His fields of thought are in Austrian Economics, Public Choice, and Political Economy and his research interest are in the intersection of Regulation and Free Trade.

Sam Fournier is a master’s student at George Mason University. He is completing the Global Commerce and Policy, MA through the Schar School, having previously earned a BA in political science with minors in economics and political communication. Professionally, he has worked as a general contractor for over a decade. His research interests include housing, immigration, and trade policy; development economics; and economic philosophy.

Eugenio Garza is a fifth-year PhD student in Economics at George Mason University. He earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Universidad de Monterrey. Eugenio previously worked as a research assistant for the Economics Department at IPADE Business School. His research interests include economic development, political economy, economic sociology, philosophy, and ethics. He is currently working on his dissertation on “The Moral and Economic Spirit of Monterrey,” advised by Dr. Daniel Klein.

Brian Mandeville is a PhD candidate in economics at George Mason University, and will be finishing up his PhD in the spring of 2027. He holds a BA in economics from the University of Virginia. He is currently a Graduate Lecturer in the Economics Department at George Mason University. Brian's research focuses on the economics of nonprofits, the interaction between informal and formal institutions, and Smithian Political Economy.

Devin Scanlon is a PhD candidate in economics at George Mason University and a senior manager for scholar initiatives at the Mercatus Center. He earned his BA in Classical Studies and Political Economy from the University of Pennsylvania. His research interests include public choice, Smithian political economy, and humanomics.

Nathaniel Shippee is a 4th year PhD student in economics at George Mason University, where he does research in philosophy of economics and the history of economic thought. His current work examines fads in economic methodology.

Sarah Katherine Sisk is completing her M.A. in economics at George Mason University. She earned her B.A. in economics and journalism from Hillsdale College. Her research interests include Smithian political economy, the history of economic thought, and economic philosophy. She coauthored “Hayek’s Wings” with Daniel Klein for Libertarianism.org. She also works in external affairs for the Florida Attorney General’s Office and has written for AMAC Newsline and The Daily Caller.

Axel Weber is a PhD Student in Economics at George Mason University. He earned a BS in Economics from the University of Connecticut. His research interests include economic theory, philosophy, economic history, monetary economics, and international conflict.

Nick is a doctoral candidate at George Mason University. He previously earned an MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School and undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Electronics Engineering. He began his career through the Marine Corps Platoon Leader Program before serving as a Navy pilot and later transitioning into the Navy Supply Corps, completing two tours in Washington, D.C. Following his active-duty service, Nick continued as a government civilian supporting the Department of the Navy and Department of Energy, where he worked in program management and conducted contract analysis and economic efficiency studies. Alongside his civilian career, he served in the Navy Reserves with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Navy Police CID, while also working part time as an investigator with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. After leaving government service, Nick entered the financial sector as a Financial Advisor before turning his focus toward research and academia in pursuit of his Ph.D.

George Murray is a current third year undergraduate economics student at George Mason University. George is a former treasurer of the GMU Economics Society. 

Binglei Ni is a senior double-majoring in Economics and Art, with a minor in Data Analysis. She is also a member of the Honors College. She currently serves as President of the GMU Economics Society for the 2026–27 academic year and previously participated in the Mercatus Undergraduate Scholars Program.

Alice Zhang is a senior Economics student at George Mason University, pursuing a minor in Sociology and a member of the Honors College. She previously served as President of the GMU Economics Society and as Treasurer of GMU’s Model United Nations Club in 2024–2025.

Kendra Asher defended her dissertation on the use of esotericism in the works of David Hume in the spring of 2021. Her broader research interests include Adam Smith and economic philosophy. 

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Mark Bonica is an associate professor and chair of the University of New Hampshire’s Department of Health Management and Policy and director of the Institute on Health Policy and Practice (IHPP). He joined the UNH faculty in January of 2015 after serving in the Army Medical Department as a Medical Service Corps officer for 23 years. He holds a PhD in Economics from George Mason University (writing on Smith on reputation and defamation laws), an MBA with a focus in organizational behavior from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, an MS in Finance from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a BA in English Literature and Philosophy from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is also the host of the healthcare leadership podcast, The Health Leader Forge (https://healthleaderforge.substack.com/ ) and the author of the weekly leadership newsletter, Flourishing in the World (https://markbonica.substack.com/ ).

Michael J. Clark is an associate professor at Hillsdale College. He holds the Wallace and Marion Reemelin Chair in Free Market Education and has been recognized in a number of ways for his outstanding teaching efforts. He is a three time finalist for the college-wide professor of the year at Hillsdale. He won the National Economics Teachers Association’s award for 2019’s best pedagogical innovation in economics for the "Alchian Maze." And, prior to his time at Hillsdale, he taught at the University of Baltimore where he earned a school of business top teacher award. Michael has also taught for the Foundation for Economic Education, the Koch Fellows Program, and is on the Mackinac Center's Board of Scholars. 

Jonathon received his Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2017. His dissertation focused on aspects of Smith's work such as usury policy and the relationship between Smith's sympathetic system, the rule of law, and the legal roles that individuals occupy in relation to one another focusing on the role of a superior acting on behalf of the state. His work has been published in The Adam Smith Review and The Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. Jonathon lives in northern Virginia with his wife and three children where he has worked as a government contractor for the last 15 years where he endeavors to deepen his Smith scholarship.

Scott Drylie is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Graduate Program for Cost Analysis at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Dayton, Ohio. He has undergraduate degrees in economics and German, a Master’s of Education, a Master’s of Cost Analysis, and a PhD in Economics from GMU. His research on Adam Smith on schooling, flowing from his dissertation, has been published in Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization and Econ Journal Watch. His recent research sheds light on contractor profit, the costs of software development, military retention, the effectiveness of Department of Defense (DoD) estimating, and the impact of regulations on DoD acquisition processes. He also continues to research topics related to Adam Smith. Scott Drylie is an active duty officer in the U.S. Air Force with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He has served in numerous positions in budget, economics and cost analysis. He has supported special investigations, construction projects, space programs, major weapon system development, Middle East reconstruction, Air Force auditing, and DoD policy development.

Eric Hammer received his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University in 2018 where he was a Ph.D. Fellow at the Mercatus Center and an Adam Smith Fellow. He has been nominated for the George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award, the Career Connection Faculty Award, and was a 2016 Public Choice Society Vincent & Elinor Ostrom Prize finalist. His Macroeconomic Principles course was recognized for being an outstanding Mason Core course. His academic interests include public choice economics, history of economic thought, law and economics, and computational social science. He works and lives with his wife and three children in southeast Pennsylvania.

Andrew G. Humphries is a visiting assistant professor of economics at the New College of Florida. In the fall of 2025, he will start a tenure-track appointment as assistant professor of economics and classics at the New College. He was previously a postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University in the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership. Andrew defended his dissertation on Smith and Tocqueville at GMU in the spring of 2021. He earned his MA in Economics from George Mason, his M.Ed. from Endicott College, and his BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College. He previously worked as an educator in the United States, India, and Guatemala. In addition to his interests in Smithian Political Economy, Austrian economics, and Law & Economics, he is passionate about liberal education and Socratic pedagogy.

Brandon Lucas is a financial management professional with experience in finance, budget, and cost analysis.  He is currently developing curriculum and teaching for the Air Force Acquisition Instructor Course.  He has a Master’s of Education, Master’s in International Relations, and a Master’s of Cost Analysis.  He completed his PhD in Economics at George Mason University, writing on the distributive justice of commerce and evolutionary ideas in Adam Smith. His current research focuses on profit, incentives, and cost/schedule growth within the DoD acquisition system. 

Christopher Martin is an associate professor of economics at Hillsdale College in Michigan.  Previously, he has taught at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma and was a John Marshall Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies. He is a 2012 graduate of George Mason University’s doctoral economics program, where he wrote his dissertation, “Sympathy, Poverty, and Justice: Three Essays on the History of Economics with an Emphasis on Adam Smith.” Before his academic career Chris served for several years as an educational programs manager at the Institute for Humane Studies in Arlington, Virginia.

Paul Mueller is a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. He received his PhD in economics from George Mason University. Previously, Dr. Mueller taught at The King’s College in New York City. His academic work has appeared in many journals including The Adam Smith Review, The Review of Austrian Economics, and The Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, The Journal of Private Enterprise, and The Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. He is also the author of Ten Years Later: Why the Conventional Wisdom about the 2008 Financial Crisis is Still Wrong with Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Dr. Mueller’s popular writing has appeared in USA Today and Fox News, as well as the Intercollegiate Review, Christian History, Adam Smith Works, and Religion and Liberty, among others. Dr. Mueller has given talks and led colloquia for a variety of organizations including Liberty Fund, the Institute for Humane Studies, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, and the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal. Dr. Mueller is also a Research Fellow and Associate Director of the Religious Liberty in the States project at the Center for Culture, Religion, and Democracy. He owns and operates a bed and breakfast (The Abbey) in Leadville, Colorado where he lives with his wife and five children.

John Robinson is an Associate Professor in the School of Integrated Sciences at James Madison University, where he teaches in the Intelligence Analysis Program. He previously taught History of Economic Thought, Political Economy, and Economics and Ethics in JMU’s Economics Department. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University in 2016, with fields in Political Economy and History of Economic Thought. His research has been published in the Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Journal of Private Enterprise, Journal of Scottish Philosophy, Econ Journal Watch, and The Independent Review. His website is: www.johnandrewrobinson.com

Hairuo Tan is a faculty member at the School of Accounting at Nanfang College Guangzhou (formerly Nanfang College of Sun Yat-sen University), China. During 2024–2025 she was Postdoctoral Research Scholar at Arizona State University. In 2024, Hairuo defended her dissertation - 'Three Essays on Adam Smith's Moral Philosophy and Political Economy' - at George Mason University. She holds an MS in Economics from Trinity College Dublin and a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Colorado School of Mines. Her primary research interests lie in the history of economic thought.

Kacey is a Research Fellow at the Elm Institute in New Haven, CT. Her work is interested in how human relationships and sentiments affect firm performance, and has been published in Public Choice, Business Ethics Quarterly, Review of Austrian Economics, and Hispanic Journal. Kacey received her PhD in Economics from George Mason University and her BA in Economics and Spanish from Hillsdale College.

Yahya Alshamy is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy & Economics at Alfaisal University and an Associate Research Fellow at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS). Alshamy earned his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University and is an alumnus of the Adam Smith Program. His research focuses on institutional analysis in policy-relevant areas, particularly economic development and behavioral public policy. He also has an engaged interest in Smithian political economy and its intersection with behavioral economics. His work has been published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Public Choice, Constitutional Political Economy, and Mind & Society.     

Fernando Arteaga is the academic director of the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets and a senior fellow within the Economics Department at the University of Pennsylvania. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University and a Bachelor's degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. His research agenda lies at the intersection between economic history, new institutional economics, and development economics.

Patrick Fitzsimmons is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Economics and the Penn Initiative for the Study of the Markets. He received his Ph.D. in economics from George Mason in 2025. His research fields are political economy, economic history, and economic growth. His website is patrubenfitz.com.

Anna Claire Flowers is an Assistant Professor of Economics in the Campbell School of Business at Berry College. In 2026, she earned her PhD in Economics at George Mason University, where she was an Adam Smith Program Fellow and a PhD Fellow with the Mercatus Center. Anna Claire researches family formation in comparative economic systems and economic policy's impact on household life, and is currenlty a Family Policy Scholar with the Archbridge Institute and an Associate Scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute.

Dr. Abigail Devereaux is a Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of Economic Growth and Assistant Professor of Economics in the W. Frank Barton Business School at Wichita State University. Abigail earned her Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University in May 2020, winning the Israel M. Kirzner award for best dissertation in Austrian economics under the direction of Richard E. Wagner. She holds an M.A. degree in mathematics and a B.A. in physics from Boston University. She is also a fellow at New York University’s Classical Liberal Institute and the Independent Institute. She has published in several journals, including the Journal of Institutional Economics, The American Economist, and the Review of Austrian Economics. Her theoretical research includes the development of synecological game theory, the theory of synergetic coupled games; combinatorial growth theory, explaining world GDP progression as a process of "tinkering and trade;" and the theory of piecemeal circumnavigation, which relates technological innovation to entrepreneurial exit. Her applied research includes work on nudge theory, in particular, the implications of algorithmic governance utilizing nudge-type interventions, and the analysis of China’s Social Credit System.

Colin Doran is an international economist with the Department of Commerce. He previously worked as a manager with the Regulatory Economics Group. Dr. Doran received his Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University where he now teaches as an adjunct. He specializes in microeconometrics, and he has recently published research in the Southern Economic Journal and the Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics. His coauthored work on Adam Smith and David Hume has been published in Journal of Scottish Philosophy and History of European Ideas.

Jacob Hall is an assistant professor in the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at The Ohio State University. He received his Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University in 2023 and was previously a postdoctoral fellow in the economics department at the University of Pennsylvania and the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets. His research touches on questions in Political Economy, Law and Economics, and Economic Growth by drawing on European and American history. His personal webpage is https://jacobrhall.github.io/.

Max Laraia is a fourth-year economics student at George Mason University. Max is also an Undergraduate Scholar at the Mercatus Center and serves on the board of the George Mason Economics Society. 

Ali Motamedi is a first year accelerated Masters student at George Mason University. Ali is also a research consultant with the Heritage Foundation, the president of the George Mason University College Republicans, and the Chairman of the Virginia College Republicans. 

Jon Murphy is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Nicholls State University, Associate Fellow at the Institute for an Entrepreneurial Society at Syracuse University, and blogger at EconLog.  Dr. Murphy defended his dissertation in April 2022. His research focuses on the economics of expertise, insurance reform, international trade, and Smithian thought.  Dr. Murphy has provided expert testimony on insurance reform before the North Carolina and Louisiana Houses of Representatives. He is the winner of the 2023 Elinor Ostrom Prize at the Journal of Institutional Economics.

Caleb Petitt is a research associate at the Independent Institute. He has a PhD in economics from George Mason University, where he was an Adam Smith Program Fellow and an F.A. Hayek fellow at the Mercatus Center. His research interests include history of economic thought and the historical political economy of colonial American trade and taxation.

Dominic Pino earned his MA in economics from GMU in December 2021. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in economics, also from George Mason University, in May 2020. He is currently a William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow in Political Journalism at the National Review Institute. You can follow him on Twitter @DominicJPino.

Sebastian Rodriguez is a third-year Ph.D. student in economics at George Mason University. He earned an M.A. in Economics from Francisco Marroquin University and a B.S. in Business from EAFIT University in Colombia. Sebastian worked for more than ten years in the finance and investment sector, founding several U.S. and Latin American companies. His research interests include the development process of economic and political ideas, entrepreneurship, and interventionism. 

Marcus Shera is an assistant professor of economics at Eastern University. He graduated from George Mason University with a PhD in Economics writing on the political economy of Christian Monasticism. He has taught courses at CUA and Chapman University. His research interests are in economic history, the economics of religion, and Smithian political economy. He writes on Substack at The Econ Playground and his academic website is at www.marcusshera.com. Marcus is also deeply interested in theology, American Pragmatism, and J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth. He blogs at https://theeconplayground.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search.

Tegan Truitt is a PhD student in the Department of Economics at George Mason University and Graduate Fellow in the F. A. Hayek Program at the Mercatus Center. He earned his B.A. in economics and philosophy at Grove City College. He researches the political economy of autocracy, comparative systems, and philosophy of social science.