Nathaniel Webb Smith

Nathaniel Webb Smith is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Sweet Briar College. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics from George Mason University (2022), an M.A. in Economics & Entrepreneurship Education from the University of Delaware (2017), and a B.A. in History from Michigan State University (1999). Before academia, he taught high school economics, entrepreneurship, and math for eight years, founding an Entrepreneurship Club. His research focuses on entrepreneurship's role in market systems, government intervention impacts, and historical economic institutions. Key areas include trade policy analysis, Anglo-Saxon economic history, and international trade's role in conflict resolution.

Smith teaches courses like Macroeconomics, International Trade, and the Economics of War and Peace. He emphasizes collaborative learning, as evidenced by student praise for his course designs. His research has been published in the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics, Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, and other venues. Current projects include institutional analysis of King Alfred's recoinage and public choice analysis of tariff exemptions. Beyond academia, he enjoys outdoor activities with his family and is an avid runner.

He has developed ten courses at Sweet Briar, prioritizing student feedback and engagement. Notable courses include Core 180 (Dollars and Sense) and Econ 262 (Survey of Economic History), which students praised for fostering a collaborative learning environment. His research integrates historical case studies with modern economic theory, exploring how political and economic entrepreneurs shape long-term economic outcomes.