University of Texas at Dallas political science doctoral candidate Ricardo Noé has received an Adam Smith Fellowship from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University for the 2023-24 academic year.
The fellowships, which are co-sponsored by Liberty Fund Inc., are awarded annually to PhD candidates who are interested in political economy and enrolled in a program from any university and in any discipline. The $10,000 award includes a stipend and pays for travel and lodging expenses.
Noé said the fellowship will give him the chance to engage with scholars who can support his research interests, which focus on the relationship between land policies and political economic outcomes like development, investment, and the participation of marginalized communities in both the economies and politics of countries.
“My research is mixed method, both qualitative and quantitative, with a focus on developing countries and Latin America,” he said. “My aim is to refine my ideas and studies focused on the effects of property rights on state modernization and investment, along with exploring their impact on the political engagement of Indigenous and minority populations in developing nations.”
Noé began his doctoral studies and joined the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences (EPPS) as a graduate teaching assistant in 2020. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2017 and a Master of Arts in Latin American and Caribbean studies from the University of South Florida in 2020.
His UTD advisor, Dr. Clint Peinhardt, professor of political science, public policy and political economy, described Noé as a self-starter.
“Ricardo is a model for other graduate students with his willingness to seek opportunities outside the University,” Peinhardt said. “In this case, it certainly paid off.”
The fellowships are designed to introduce students to and encourage them to critically engage with key thinkers in political economy who they might not otherwise encounter during their graduate studies.
Fellows spend three weekends during the academic year and one week during the summer participating in workshops and seminars on political economy.
The Mercatus (Latin for “market”) Center is a nonprofit, university-based research center dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and public policy problems. The center supports graduate students interested in understanding social change and in applying economics to solve problems in the world.
GivingTuesday Data Commons Fellow
University of Texas at Dallas public affairs doctoral student Tianyi Li has been awarded one of three inaugural GivingTuesday Data Commons Fellowships.
The fellowship, which provides up to $4,000 for a stipend and travel expenses, supports students’ research projects designed to advance the understanding of the nonprofit and philanthropy sector. Li’s project is focused on generosity and the charitable giving motivations of individuals.
“In this study, I examine a novel, survey-based data set on behavioral generosity topics,” Li said. “My research explores charitable giving patterns and drivers of all types of generosity, including monetary donations. It also provides evidence-based insights on how social interventions, seasonality and demographic factors impact or correlate with generosity, enriching the knowledge of both nonprofit scholars and practitioners.”
Dr. Elizabeth Searing, Li’s PhD advisor and an assistant professor of public and nonprofit management in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences, said Li has combined his experience in the marketing-research commercial sector with a strong interest in the social sector.
“This has given him the tools and insights he needs to ask complex questions about human behavior, and the GivingTuesday Data Commons Fellowship has connected him with an amazing organization that excels at new and interesting data about philanthropy. It’s a great match that can accomplish great things,” she said.
With hundreds of collaborators and 50 global data labs, the GivingTuesday Data Commons has collected the most comprehensive datasets in the social sector and is the only initiative focused on collecting and analyzing individual giving behavior of all types.
Li said the fellowship provides him with an invaluable opportunity to learn from data production teams, data scientists, sector leaders, fundraising practitioners, philanthropy professionals and other nonprofit scholars and to explore charitable giving patterns and create impactful changes in the field of philanthropy.
“It will also expose me to novel data sets, new methodologies and interesting perspectives that I can use to enhance my own research,” he said.
Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of The University of Texas at Dallas faculty, students and staff. To submit items for consideration, contact your school’s communications manager.