Joseph T. Lawson Jr. is a development and public policy professional from Liberia with a background in mining engineering and experience in natural resource governance, legislative research, and community development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering from the University of Liberia and currently serves as a Resource Officer with the Liberian House of Representatives, where his work focuses on public policy, mining, and community development. In 2025, he was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow and participated in the Public Management Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota. His research interests include sustainable development, natural resource governance, community-driven development, and the relationship between extractive industries and socioeconomic outcomes in the Global South. He is particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches that bring together engineering, public policy, development practice, and community perspectives to advance more inclusive and sustainable development.