About the Free Market Institute

Mission and Vision

The Free Market Institute (FMI) at Texas Tech University (TTU) advances research and teaching related to the free enterprise system and the institutional environment necessary for it to function well. The FMI promotes scholarship that crosses disciplinary boundaries, providing a forum that encourages and values discussion and rigorous debate regarding all aspects of free markets. The FMI coordinates programs that engage the university, the broader Lubbock community, and public and scholarly communities across the nation and the world.

The FMI achieves these ends through:

Affiliated Faculty — The Institute recruits emerging scholars and recognized experts in free market economics to join the university faculty. Teaching — Institute faculty and staff offer courses for undergraduate and graduate students through existing academic departments. Research — Institute faculty and staff pursue independent scholarly research and participate in Institute-sponsored research programs. Public Speaker Series/Visiting Scholars Program — The Institute hosts scholars from around the world, who deliver public lectures and research presentations. Graduate Fellowships — The Institute awards fellowships to promising doctoral students, who will become researchers and teachers at other domestic and international institutions. Undergraduate Programs — The Institute operates a reading group and sponsors seminars for students interested in exploring the ideas of free market economics and classical liberalism. Outreach — Institute faculty and staff members write articles for popular audiences, give television, radio and podcast interviews on current public policy issues, and deliver public lectures at events across the country and the world.



Through a systematic approach of joining diverse parts of the university into a comprehensive effort to better understand and explain the societal benefits of market exchange, entrepreneurship and innovation, the Free Market Institute has the ability to place Texas Tech University at the pinnacle of universities constructively addressing the challenges of modern economies.

Board of Directors

The FMI Board of Directors provides advice and counsel on the Institute's affairs and plays an important role in its future growth. Board members include individuals from the TTU community, as well as other academic and business communities. Current board members are listed below.