This program focuses on research designed to enhance the understanding of the institutions and policies supportive of free enterprise. Faculty members in this program will be expected to contribute to the professional research on political economy and the importance of the institutional infrastructure for the efficient operation of economies. Areas of focus include law and economics, public choice, economic development, industrial organization and regulation, and the new institutional economics.

Current Faculty of the SPEFE program

Bruce Benson

DeVoe Moore Distinguished Research Professor
Department of Economics Chair

James Gwartney

Professor of Economics
Director, Gus A. Stavros Center for Economic Education

Randall G. Holcombe

DeVoe Moore Professor

Mark Isaac

Quinn Eminent Scholar
Professor

Shi Qi

Assistant Professor

Danila Serra

Assistant Professor

Expectations: Three more SPEFE faculty are expected to be hired over the next two to three years.

Student affiliations with SPEFE

Two 4-year Koch Fellowships and one 4-year BB&T Scholarships are available to fund PhD students affiliated with SPEFE. These students will have limited work requirements, but will be assigned as TAs or RAs for SPEFE or EEE faculty. Two one-year BB&T Dissertation Fellowships are also available annually to support PhD students working with SPEFE faculty.