The grant, given by the John Templeton Foundation, will help fund a multi-university effort to bring scholars together to discuss topics relating to economics and social issues.
Texas Tech University Free Market Institute research fellow Adam Martin and his colleague Daniel D'Amico of Brown University recently received a nearly $1.7 million research grant from the John Templeton Foundation, which will fund efforts to bring together world-class scholars to discuss the relevance of Austrian economics in the 21st century to understanding modern social, economic and political issues.
The idea for the project originated when Martin, who also is an assistant professor in the College of Agricultural Science & Natural Resources, and D'Amico became editors of the book series “Advances in Austrian Economics.” The pair realized the potential of the project if properly expanded, and they applied for the grant last fall.
“The centerpiece of the project is a series of six colloquia bringing together scholars from different fields to explore topics such as economic and social inequality, the relationship between moral philosophy and economics, and contemporary social science methods such as randomized control trials and big data analysis,” Martin said.
The project also will include visits by prominent scholars to Texas Tech and Brown, research by faculty and graduate students and a post-doctoral fellow at the Free Market Institute.
Both Martin and D'Amico said they were excited to watch the relationship between their universities continue to grow under the grant, which provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary research and direct collaboration across universities.
Benjamin Powell, director of the Free Market Institute, added that the interdisciplinary, collaborative grant would bring scholars from around the world to Texas Tech.
“A research grant of this size will significantly enhance the research output of the Free Market Institute and enhance our national and international reputation for scholarship,” Powell said. “The connections forged while conducting research on this project will benefit Texas Tech for years to come.”
