PhD in Economics

Peter Jacobsen, 2020

Peter Jacobsen

Describe your dissertation or thesis (if you completed one).

In my three essays, I examine the impact of human creativity through entrepreneurship with special consideration for how the institutional environment influences entrepreneurs.

How did you choose your specific area of study?

I fell in love with economics after taking a course on microeconomics in high school. My emphasis on the importance of entrepreneurs comes from my reading of Austrian and other economists such as Julian Simon, and my focus on the importance of institutions is something I learned from my mentors at GMU.

How did your academic experiences in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences impact you?

The effect of my academic experiences is too large to summarize, but I can highlight one of the biggest impacts. My dissertation advisor, Chris Coyne, has a profound impact on my ability to communicate my ideas through writing. His comments on my research helped me to

What accomplishment(s) during your time at Mason are you most proud of?

Getting through the difficult exam and course requirements in my first year while having a newborn was the most difficult and rewarding time I can remember. Working through countless hours of problem sets and practice exams with my cohort running on very little sleep is something I'll always remember.

Are there faculty or staff members who made a difference during your Mason career? Please give an example of this impact if possible.

There are several faculty members who made an impact on me during my time at Mason. Dr. Chris Coyne spent countless hours meticulously looking through my papers and provided me feedback which challenged the worst blind spots in my arguments and writing. On top of this, Chris spent several hours discussing economics and providing recommendations to me. Dr. Rosolino Candela went out of his way to work with me on several papers. This hands-on work helped me develop as a writer and a scholar. Dr. Pete Boettke served as a constant inspiration to me to look past the blackboard and at the outside world to stress the importance of economics. Dr. Boettke continues to go out of his way to provide me with academic and career advice and assistance today. Finally, Dr. Peter Leeson created an unmatched classroom atmosphere where people were encouraged to speak up and develop ideas. Going toe-to-toe with Dr. Leeson to defend my arguments is not something I will soon forget.

What advice would you give to an incoming cohort of graduate students?

James Buchanan pointed out that economic theory can cause the ordinary man to rise to the levels of genius. Work on understanding economic theory as Dr. Williams did from Dr. Coyne, Dr. Boettke, Dr. Leeson, and Dr. Candela, and you will be able to engage with anyone in a conversation about economics. My advice is to bear in mind that a good understanding of economic theory puts you on equal footing with any other economist.

What are your current career plans following graduation? What are your long-term career goals?

I currently have a job as a professor at Ottawa University, and I'm a professor in the Gwartney Institute there. My career goals include teaching future generations of students economics, helping the Gwartney Institute grow and flourish, and continue contributing relevant research in economics.