Mercatus Welcomes Inaugural Cohort of Emerging Scholars

Today, Mercatus welcomes the inaugural cohort of the Emerging Scholars Program, a two-year initiative designed to support innovative classical liberal thinkers in becoming compelling public intellectuals.

"Today is an exciting day for Mercatus as we welcome these exceptional new scholars," said Dr. Rebecca Lowe, who leads the program. "Their potential signals great hope for the future of classical liberal ideas, driven by rigorous scholarship and dynamic public engagement."

Meet the inaugural cohort:

• Elsie Jang is an AI policy researcher exploring how emerging technologies are reshaping society and how classical-liberal ideas can guide the transition. She combines a Great Books education with programming skills, has studied at St. John’s College and the University of Cambridge, and has held fellowships at Convergence Analysis and Pivotal Research.
• John Maier is an Oxford-trained philosopher working on a book developing an original case for the strong and simple political norms favored by classical liberals. He’s also a journalist who has written editorials for The Times and political and cultural commentary for U.K. outlets including the New Statesman, The Spectator, and The Critic.
• Henry Oliver is a writer and literary critic working on a new book about how classic literature cultivates the liberal values of human flourishing. He is the author of Second Act (2024) and writes the literary Substack The Common Reader, which has been quoted in The Atlantic and featured in outlets such as The New York Times, GQ, and The Free Press.
• Patterson Beaman is an economist whose work brings together economic history, macroeconomic finance, and innovative policy design. He is completing a master’s degree at George Mason University, has worked as a research assistant for Professor Thomas Stratmann, and brings experience in public communications and economic visualization.
• Revana Sharfuddin is a labor economist at the Mercatus Center, where her research examines the evolving nature of work and the ways labor markets can adapt to foster growth and mobility for workers with diverse backgrounds and needs. Her writing has been published in The Hill, Reason, and the Dhaka Tribune, and she writes for the Substack Labor Market Matters.
• Oliver Traldi (visiting fellow) is a philosopher at the University of Toledo's Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership. He earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame, has held posts at Princeton University and the University of Tulsa Honors College, authored Political Beliefs: A Philosophical Introduction (2024), and has been published in The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post.

Over the next two years, these scholars will research and publish original influential work while honing the communication skills required to become compelling public intellectuals. Applications for a second cohort will open in Spring 2026.

For more information, please visit the Emerging Scholars Program page.