LEXINGTON, Ky. A recently published national study on economics education research highlights the growing influence of Gatton-affiliated scholars whose work is shaping how economics is taught across the country.
In “Beyond the Giants: Identifying the Rising Stars of Economics Education,” published in The American Economist, researchers analyzed citation data from 2020 to 2024 across journals recognized by the American Economic Association’s Committee on Economic Education. The study focuses on contemporary scholarly influence, identifying researchers whose work is actively shaping current thinking about teaching and learning in economics.
Among those recognized were Darshak Patel, a faculty member in Gatton’s Department of Economics; Gail Hoyt, professor of economics at the University of Kentucky; and Abdullah Al-Bahrani, a Gatton Ph.D. alumnus and current faculty member at Northern Kentucky University who continues to collaborate with UK-affiliated scholars.
Rather than looking at lifetime achievement, the study used a five-year citation window to capture recent impact. Researchers relied on citation counts and a discipline-adjusted i10 index, which reflects the number of articles that have received at least 10 citations during the period studied, focusing on sustained engagement rather than one-off publications.
The approach, according to the authors, is intended to reflect “the pulse of the field as it stands,” identifying scholars whose work is actively informing teaching practice and pedagogy today.
Darshak was ranked 13th nationally in total citations among economics education researchers during the 2020–2024 period, with 520 citations and an adjusted i10 index of 11. The study also highlighted Darshak as a non-tenure-track faculty member whose research has made a substantial scholarly impact, reflecting a broader shift in the field toward teaching-focused faculty producing high-impact work. In Darshak’s case, his research allowed him to move to a tenure track special title series focused on teaching.
Hoyt ranked 45th nationally, with 208 citations and an i10 index of 6, reflecting more than two decades of contributions to economics education research since her first publication in 1999. The study cited her sustained influence in the discipline, including work examining the evolving role of teaching-track faculty and contributions to major pedagogical resources.
Al-Bahrani ranked 11th overall, with 573 citations and an i10 index of 14, placing him among the most influential scholars in the field during the study period. He was also identified as the second-ranked emerging scholar nationally, a designation reserved for researchers whose work has gained significant traction since entering the field in 2015 or later.
While citation metrics are often viewed as academic benchmarks, the authors emphasize that economics education research plays a direct role in shaping classroom practices and student learning outcomes.
Much of the highly cited work in the study addresses topics such as active learning, assessment design, financial literacy and the use of technology in teaching, areas that increasingly affect how students experience economics in the classroom.
The study also documents a notable trend: many of the most influential contributors in economics education today are teaching-focused or non-tenure-track faculty. According to the authors, this reflects broader changes in higher education, where instructional roles are expanding alongside expectations for scholarly contribution.
The study also highlights the broader influence of the University of Kentucky’s economics Ph.D. alumni in the field of economics education. Brandon Sheridan, a graduate of UK’s economics Ph.D. program and now faculty at Elon University, ranked 50th nationally in total citations from 2020 to 2024, with 184 citations and an adjusted i10 index of 6, placing him among the top 50 most cited scholars in the discipline during the study period.
Emily Marshall, also a UK economics Ph.D. alum and now at Denison University, was recognized as an emerging scholar, ranking sixth nationally in that category with 113 citations and an i10 index of 5, reflecting the growing influence of her work since entering the field in 2015.
For Gatton, the recognition emphasizes the college’s role in advancing evidence-based teaching and learning, work that ultimately shapes how students understand economics and apply it beyond the classroom.
By contributing research that is widely read, cited and built upon, Gatton-affiliated scholars are helping influence how economics is taught nationally, while reinforcing the connection between rigorous scholarship and effective instruction.
