Dick M. Carpenter II

Law researcher
Dick M. Carpenter II studies cutting edge issues at the intersection of social science and constitutional law.

Why you should listen

Dick M. Carpenter II serves as a director of strategic research for the Institute for Justice (IJ). He works with IJ staff and attorneys to define, implement and manage social science research related to the Institute’s mission.

As an experienced researcher, Carpenter has presented and published writing on property rights, economic regulation, education policy, free speech and a host of other topics. His work has appeared in academic journals, such as Economic Development Quarterly, Economic Affairs, The Forum, Fordham Urban Law Journal, International Journal of Ethics, Education and Urban Society, Urban Studies, Regulation and Governance, and magazines, such as Regulation, Phi Delta Kappan and the American School Board Journal. Moreover, the results of his research have been quoted in newspapers such as the New York Times, Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Carpenter also coauthored Bottleneckers, which published in 2016.

Before working with IJ, Carpenter worked as a school teacher and principal, public policy analyst and faculty member at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, where he currently serves as a professor. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.
 
As a classically trained percussionist, he performs regularly in Colorado. He has flown private planes for 25 years. 

Dick M. Carpenter II’s TED talk