How are you applying your degree in Economics from Concordia?
I am enjoying researching and teaching economics at University of Alberta thanks to the excellent training I received from Concordia University. High-quality graduate courses are offered by excellent econ professors at Concordia. These courses provided me with a solid theoretical background which is necessary to be able to carry out serious research.
What do you value most from your Economics experience?
I value the rigorous thinking combined with a virtually unlimited number of research areas associated with our daily lives that economists apply and practice in their work. Quite often, economic research outputs have a good chance of making the world a better place by offering excellent policy suggestions. For example, the Economics Department at Concordia University offers excellent research seminars on a weekly basis, where outstanding professors and researchers from top universities are invited to share their current research ideas and methodologies with graduate students from Concordia. Students are exposed to cutting edge research ideas which will greatly help them to improve their own research.
Is there a particular memory that stands out from your time at Concordia?
The most memorable times at Concordia are the years after my comprehensive exams. This period was featured by full-time research where I was closely working with my supervisor. For example, we would meet each other at least once a week to discuss research ideas and my supervisor would help me with any difficulties I encountered in my research. We often spent hours together working through programming codes, which I greatly benefited from because it allowed me to learn from his experiences. I am still grateful to my supervisor’s time and patience. I was also lucky enough to be able to attend many interesting academic conferences thanks to my university funding and my supervisor’s recommendation letters. This, as I remembered, was the most productive time I ever had at Concordia. It was very busy but rather enjoyable.
What advice would you give to someone considering graduate studies in Economics?
Do the right things at the right time, never waste a day. For example, I would recommend future PhD students to focus on all the course learnings before rushing into a research project. That’s because these graduate-level course trainings are perhaps the only chance in life to systematically learn econ theories. Also, comprehensive exams are not only about pressure but more importantly, most of us will realize that they offer good opportunities to hone our research skills that are needed later on. Future students are recommended to plan their future careers early when starting their PhD programs in economics because academic-oriented careers and industry-oriented careers require very different preparations, even within the same econ PhD program. For example, to prepare for an academic path, PhD candidates need to attend more academic conferences in order to gain practical teaching experience. Keep in mind that although it is a long and enduring journey, it will likely end with your satisfaction.