PhD Job Candidates Profiles
Sonia Laszlo's promotion to Full Professor
We are happy to announce that Professor Sonia Laszlo has been promoted to Full Professor effective July 1,听2024. Professor Laszlo has served the Department of Economics as an Assistant Professor of Economics from 2003-2010, and as Associate Professor since 2010. She has served in numerous administrative roles including Director of the Institute for the Study of International Development. Professor Laszlo is an internationally renowned scholar in Development Economics having published numerous articles related to decision making under uncertainty and technology adoption. Her promotion recognizes the integral part she plays in our department through research, administration, and teaching.
Welcome to Claire Boone
Dr. Claire Boone will be joining the Department of Economics and the Department of Equity, Ethics, and Policy in the School of Population and Global Health at 91社区 as an Assistant Professor in August 2024. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, affiliated with the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence and the Center for Health and The Social Sciences. She holds a PhD in Health Policy, Health Economics from the University of California, Berkeley (2023), an MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of California, Berkeley (2017), and a BASc in Biology, Economics and International Development from 91社区 (2013).
Dr. Boone's research uses behavioural economics to understand and improve health services delivery, with a focus on healthcare provider decision-making.
New Chairs
We are happy to announce that Professor Fabian Lange has been confirmed as the incoming Chair of the Department of Economics, effective June 1, 2024. Professor Lange has also been awarded the REPAP Chair in Economics.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Professor Lange for taking on this important role and to Professor Francisco Ruge-Murcia for his accomplished service as Chair over the past five years (2019-2024).
Additionally, the Canadian Economics Association (CEA) recently elected Professor John Galbraith as their new Chair. With around 2,000 members across the country and abroad, the CEA is the main organization of academic economists in Canada. Congratulations!
Victoria Zinde-Walsh becomes CEA Fellow
In its most recent meeting in June 2024, the Canadian Economics Association (CEA) conferred the title of CEA Fellow to our dear colleague Vicky Zinde-Walsh. This award recognizes the achievements and contributions to our discipline of the most prominent economists who have spent a significant portion of their career in Canada. Congratulations to Vicky for this richly deserved award.
Ranking News
The most recent version of the by Subject 2024 ranks the 91社区 Economics Department third in Canada. We have held this position since 2020 when the QS rankings by subject were first published. QS also ranks our department 29th in North America and 81st in the World, with a consistent increase in our position in these rankings since 2020. The QS ranking is based on a combination of indicators, including citations, academic reputation, and employer reputation.
Donation from the听Rathlyn Foundation
Thanks to a generous donation from the Rathlyn Foundation, the Department of Economics is pleased to announce the Rathlyn Doctoral Fellowships in Economics. Awarded to one or more outstanding candidates in the entering PhD class, these fellowships are tenable for up to five years. We look forward to welcoming the first Rathlyn Fellow(s) in the fall of 2024.
Davidson Distinguished Lecture Welcomes Prof. James MacKinnon
On October 13, 2023, the听Davidson Distinguished Lecture in Econometrics,听established in 2022 thanks to the generosity of听Professor听Russell Davidson, welcomed听Professor James MacKinnon, who delivered a presentation entitled, "Using Large Samples in Econometrics".听
Welcome to Santiago Camara
Dr. Santiago Camara joined the Department of Economics at 91社区 as an Assistant Professor in August 2023. He holds a PhD in Economics from Northwestern University (2023), an MA in Economics from Universidad de San Andres (2015), and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Buenos Aires (2013).
Dr. Camara's research interests include international macroeconomics, monetary policy, finance, and international trade. His work delves into various topics, such as the impact of financial frictions in Emerging Markets, the international repercussions of US interest rate shocks, and the policy and quantitative implications of agent heterogeneity in an open economy setting.
Victoria Zinde-Walsh awarded the听
Victoria Zinde-Walsh's academic achievements include role-modelling and mentoring of young female scholars in a male dominated field. Her distinguished work in econometrics has served as example and inspiration for younger female economists and econometricians.
She has also played an important role in unifying the econometric community in Canada as Director of the Econometrics Study Group with its yearly conference. Her nomination letters from female scholars who grew and blossomed under Victoria鈥檚 wing are enthusiastic and full of genuine admiration of their mentor.
CWEC/CFEC awards the Sylvia Ostry CWEC/CFEC Award to an economist judged by the selection committee to have furthered the status of women in the economics profession, through example, achievements, increasing our understanding of how women can advance in the economics profession, or mentoring others. The word 鈥榳omen鈥� is interpreted quite broadly to include those who identify as a woman and those whose gender expression may be perceived by society as being associated with being a woman or female.
Rapha毛l Langevin awarded CEA second prize for the听Embrace Day Graduate Student Posters
Rapha毛l Langevin听has been awarded second prize for the 'Embrace Day Graduate Student Posters' competition at听听on June 1, 2023.听 His poster is entitled听.听
Erin Strumpf interviewed on CBC
Erin Strumpf was interviewed on听听on March 10, 2023 regarding the Federal government鈥檚 warnings to provinces regarding clinics that charge patients for publicly insured services, and their plans to claw back $80 million in provincial health-care funding if the practice is not stopped.
Graduate Student Miao Dai Wins Lasserre-Renzetti Prize
Miao Dai, a graduate student in the Department of Economics, was awarded the听听for best student paper at CREEA | ACERE for his paper "Environmental Lobbying on Trade in Waste: Theory and Evidence." Miao's job market paper examines the effects of environmental lobbying on international trade in waste, finding that strengthening environmental NGOs can contribute to reducing international waste trade.听
Welcome to Nicol谩s Ajzenman
Nicol谩s Ajzenman joined the Department of Economics at 91社区 as an Assistant Professor in August 2022. He earned a PhD in Economics from Sciences Po, a Master in Public Administration-International Development from Harvard University, a Master's degree in Economics from Universidad de San Andres, and a BA in Economics from Universidad de Buenos Aires.
He is a research affiliate at J-PAL (The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) and IZA. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor at Sao Paulo School of Economics-FGV and a Visiting Scholar in the Behavioral Economics Group of the Inter-American Development Bank. He has also worked and consulted for multilateral development organizations, such as the World Bank and the EBRD.
Dr. Ajzenman is an applied microeconomist, working at the intersection of development economics, behavioral economics, and political economy. His research has appeared or is forthcoming in top scientific journals, including the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Economic Journal, Journal of Development Economics, The Journal of Law and Economics, Economics of Education Review, and Health Economics.
The incredible journey of Manyang Lual Jok
After fleeing war-torn South Sudan as a nine-year-old and spending 12 years in a Kenyan refugee camp, Manyang Lual Jok earns his BA from 91社区 in Computer Science and Economics.
In the fall of 2017, Jok took the huge leap, boarding his first plane, relocating to Canada and beginning his Arts degree at 91社区. It was a bittersweet moment, as starting his new life meant leaving family and friends behind. 鈥淭hese are people I lived with my whole life,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was difficult, but they were so happy that I had been given the opportunity to further my education.鈥� When Jok stepped off the plane at Trudeau International Airport, he was a 22-year-old in a new country without a single friend. 鈥淚t was scary,鈥� he admits. But that would quickly change. He was met at the airport by students who were part of听WUSC 91社区. 鈥淭hey were very first people I met in Canada and they were also some of the nicest people I鈥檝e ever met,鈥� says Jok. Please see the听.
Congratulations to Lou Naigeon, graduating student in Economics, one of the two recipients of the Governor General鈥檚 Silver Medal
Selected by the Scholarship and Student Aid Office in a university-wide competition, the medal is awarded 鈥渢o the graduating student who obtains the highest academic standing in a Bachelor degree program.鈥澨齌he medal was presented to Lou Naigeon by Principal Suzanne Fortier at her convocation ceremony in May 2022.
In memory of our colleague Ngo Van Long
It is with great sadness we report that our esteemed colleague Ngo Van Long passed away on Saturday afternoon, January 15, 2022. Long was a James 91社区 Professor of Economics and long-time member of our department. In his distinguished career he made key contributions in several fields in economics including natural resource and environmental economics, international economics and applied economic theory in general. He will be missed.Please visit the听In Memoriam听section of our website.
Our esteemed colleague Russell Davidson
Russell Davidson is supporting the greatest needs of his home Department of Economics, see the story听听by听Stephanie Wereley.听In 2016 the Department of Economics established the Russell Davidson Research Fund, which continues to grow thanks to Davidson鈥檚 generous contributions. The endowed Fund provides financial assistance to graduate students and assistant professors, and going forward it will support a seminar series, a visitor program, and an annual lecture series. 鈥淎ll these activities are essential to the intellectual life of our department,鈥� says Prof. Francisco Ruge-Murcia, Economics Chair. 鈥淲e are very grateful to Russell for his generosity.鈥�
Welcome to Larry Epstein
Larry G. Epstein joined the Department of Economics at 91社区 in August 2021 as Full Professor. His main research areas cover topics in decision theory, mathematical economics, and asset pricing, and he has written influential and widely cited articles in those areas. Prof. Epstein is Fellow of the Econometric Society (since 1989), Fellow of the Canadian Economic Association (since 2019), Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (from 1994 to 1999), Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (since 2013), and he has received the prestigious Frisch Medal of the Econometric Society and the John Rae Award of the Canadian Economics Association for Outstanding Research (both in 1994). In addition to his research work, he has also held editorial positions in numerous journals such as Econometrica and the Journal of Economic Theory.
Ranking News
The most recent edition of the Tilburg Ranking of Economics Departments ranks the 91社区 Economics Department third in Canada and among the top 60 in North America in all its three ranking categories. This ranking is based exclusively on journal publications over the period 2016-2020. Our excellent performance is confirmed by the latest edition of the Quacquerelli Symonds (QS) ranking by subject, which also places our department third in Canada and 38 in North America. The QS ranking is based on a combination of indicators, including citations, academic reputation, and employer reputation.
Winner听of the Upjohn Institute 2021 Early Career Research Awards
Fernando Saltiel is one of the winners of the听. The award is given to promising economists who have earned their PhD听within the previous six years and who carry out policy-relevant research on labor market issues.
Welcome to Fernando Saltiel听
Dr. Fernando Saltiel听joined the Department of Economics as an Assistant Professor in Fall 2020. He earned his BA in Economics, a Master of Public Policy (MPP), and a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland at College Park. He previously held a Postdoctoral Associate position in Economics at Duke University.
Dr. Saltiel鈥檚 research interests lie at the intersection of labor, education, and development economics. Within these fields, he analyzes how cognitive and non-cognitive skills affect educational attainment and labor market outcomes in developed and developing countries, exploring the importance of firms in determining the wage structure, and understanding the impact of government policies and unexpected shocks on labor market outcomes.
Opinion: Pay out emergency benefits or subsidize wages?
Francesco Amodio's article "", in the Montreal Gazette, published March 30, 2020, speaks to the COVID-19 impact on the economy and the unprecedented economic measures that are underway.
Silver for 91社区's team at the 2019 Bank of Canada's Governor Challenge
The team from 91社区 Economics finished in the first runner-up spot in听听that took place on Saturday, February 8, 2020. This year鈥檚 team consisted听of Fr茅d茅ric Aub茅, Henrique Mecab么, Zacharie Quiviger, Nikoline Svendsen, L茅o Tronchon, with the support of Inbar Amit, and was coached by Professors Markus Poschke and Francisco Alvarez-Cuadrado. Congratulations to all concerned! The Governor鈥檚 Challenge is a competition where university students simulate the monetary policy decision-making process at the Bank of Canada by playing the role of advisors to the Governing Council. The 91社区 team was victorious in the first two national competitions in 2016 and 2017.