Ryan Yonk is senior research faculty at American Institute for Economic Research (AIER), a think tank that educates people on the value of personal freedom, free enterprise, property rights, limited government, and sound money. His research explores how policy can be better crafted to achieve greater individual autonomy and prosperity.

Prior to joining AIER, he held academic positions at North Dakota State University, Utah State University, and Southern Utah University, and was one of the founders of Strata Policy. He is the coauthor or editor of numerous books including Green V. Green, Nature Unbound: Bureaucracy vs. the Environment, The Reality of American Energy, and Politics and Quality of Life: The Role of Well-Being in Political Outcomes. He has also coauthored numerous articles in academic journals including Public Choice, The Independent Review, Applied Research in Quality of Life, and the Journal of Private Enterprise.