FIU and Florida lawmakers establish center to study free markets, economic policy on a global scale

Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, director of the Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom

FIU has established the Adam Smith Center for the Study of Economic Freedom. The center, created by legislation in July 2020, will act as an independent, non-partisan think tank to study the impact of government and free markets on economic freedom and prosperity around the world, with a focus on the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The center will have a multidisciplinary approach and will report to FIU’s Office of Research and Economic Development.

Carlos Díaz-Rosillo, former director of policy and interagency coordination to President Donald J. Trump, will head the center. Díaz-Rosillo also served as senior deputy chairman and chief operating officer for the National Endowment for the Humanities in Washington, D.C. He has two bachelor’s degrees from Tufts University, and two master’s degrees and a doctorate from Harvard University. He is also a former assistant dean and faculty member at Harvard and visiting lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and FIU. 

“The Adam Smith Center will serve as a source of cutting-edge analysis on the critical role that free markets can play in national, state and community prosperity,” said FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg. “We are grateful to Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature for designating FIU with this important responsibility.”  

The Adam Smith Center will create a platform for decision makers to discuss complex problems and solutions relating to political and economic systems and serve as a policy and decision lab for government officials to consult with both academics and experienced practitioners on the effects of economic policies, such as tax reform and regulation.
 
The center will also provide fellowships and mentoring opportunities to students engaged in scholarly studies of the effect of political and economic systems on prosperity.
 
“To fulfill the vision of our Legislature and Governor, the Adam Smith Center will serve as a world class, independent, nonpartisan think tank in the heart of Miami –a place where the free enterprise system and the entrepreneurial drive of our people have been a model of tremendous growth and prosperity,” said Díaz-Rosillo. “Human prosperity is best achieved when governments create an environment where individuals have the freedom and liberty to make their own decisions to maximize their economic potential. Through rigorous research, our center hopes to analyze the impact of government economic policy on individuals and societies around the world, convene top scholars and practitioners to offer mentorship opportunities and engage in meaningful policy debates, and serve as a hub where policymakers can find the information they need to make more informed economic policy.”