Testimonials

Chi Man Yip

PhD 2020

I am grateful to my advisers, Professor Trevor Tombe, Professor Stefan Staubli, and Professor Lucija Muehlenbachs for their extensive feedback and support throughout the entire period of my Ph.D. study. Without their guidance, I would have not imagined finishing my Ph.D. thesis.

Trevor, my supervisor, asked critical questions: ``What is your research question?'' ``Why is it important?'' ``How does it contribute to our knowledge?'' “Explain it in plain English.'' Summarize your research results with one sentence.'' Through many insightful conversations, my Supervisor has shaped me into an independent researcher.

Stefan has a strong empirical sense and his empirical skill is state-of-the-art. I took his empirical finance class in 2016 and always benefited from conversations with him.

Lucija is an encouraging advisor and always circulates important information about funding opportunities, writing advice, relevant papers, etc.

I would tell students: don’t give up, stay with the program, and good things will happen for you.

Amr Nadi

MA 2019

I would advise students to enjoy the MA as much as they can, and also appreciate what they are learning. The things we learn in the MA, really do help us in the real world, even if you do not work in a purely economic environment.  To the students who are about to graduate and are tense about realizing their next step, I advise them to not lock themselves into searching for typical economics-related jobs (banking, data analysis, research, etc.).  The world is huge and there are so many things you can do by combining your knowledge of economics along with your other passions. 

Akio Yamazaki

PhD 2019

Getting my Ph.D was one of the toughest and most challenging things I have ever done in my entire life. But, I am very glad that I did it at the University of Calgary. Not only did I receive a thorough training to be an economist, but also much support and encouragement were provided to me throughout the program by faculties, staff, and colleagues. I came to the University of Calgary to specialize in the field of environmental economics. It was the best place to do my research in this field and still is.

Linh Tran

MA 2018

I just graduated from the University of Calgary with a Master of Arts in Economics. My graduate studies experience with the University was awesome. The program provides great course materials and research opportunities. The courses were interesting and allowed interactivity between students and professors.  The master program is designed for all students not just for students interested in doing advanced studies in a particular area of economics. The higher level economics courses are more challenging than undergraduate studies, but also well worth the effort in terms of reward. I'm currently in the first year of my PhD in Economics at the University of Alberta. I would not be confident to continue my PhD studies without the knowledge that I gained from the master program at the University of Calgary.

Sayeeda Jahan

Research Associate - Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh

MA 2018

'Train Hard, Fight Easy'. While you are an ECON grad student, you might have a feeling that your grad life is pushing you hard to the limit, but at the end of the day you will realize, it actually pulled you to such a level where you have never been!  So, never lose hope and always give your best.

Shahreen Khair

Research Associate - O’Brien Institute for Public Health

MA 2018

Completing my MA from the Department of Economics at the University of Calgary has been a rewarding experience. The university has an excellent research environment, which is enriched via outstanding work by faculty and students. I am thankful to the faculty and administration for the constant guidance and am thrilled to be able to give back to the university through my research work as a Health Economist. 

Meng Sun

Tenure-Track Lecturer - Thompson Rivers University

PhD 2018

The Department of Economics is great. As graduate students, we always get the right level of what we need. Faculties and staffs are very friendly and supportive. The training here was challenging and I benefited a lot from the interaction with my fellow students. Advice for students: Don’t let the difficulty of the program or the fierce competition demotivate you: each one of us proceeds at his or her own pace.

Prince Afrim

Banking Advisor - RBC Royal Bank

MA 2017

The Department of Economics helped me understand a lot of the day-to-day economic situations around the globe. Learning all about trade, labour issues, monetary and fiscal policies and a variety of other areas have helped to broaden my knowledge and have been very useful in my job so far. The many assumptions are beginning to make so much sense in the corporate world. I had a challenging but rewarding time in the program and never regret my decision to study at the department of economics.

Naima Farah

Energy Economist - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

PhD 2017 / LinkedIn

No matter how long and challenging PhD journey seems now, it will be over soon. Believe me! Work hard, enjoy harder. This is the best opportunity to learn research, exploit it. Believe in yourself. You will get there.

Yutaro Sakai

Associate Professor (tenured) / University of Tokyo (2019)

PhD University of Calgary (2017)

The Department of Economics is a great place to pursue a PhD degree. Students have every opportunity to accumulate their research skills, including internal/external seminars, writing courses, and coffee/lunch with external speakers. As far as I know, this is an extremely unique environment. It was no easy job to survive the PhD program, but I received a thorough training as a researcher.

Morgan Gluzak

Revenue Analyst - WestJet

MA University of Calgary (2016)

I really enjoyed the fact that the Economics department not only provided me the ability, but encouraged me, to explore topics "outside of the box" of regular economic studies.

Maksim Isakin

Assistant Professor / Cleveland State University

PhD University of Calgary (2016)

The University of Calgary has been a great place to bring my research to a new level. I have always felt a spirit of a growing school where the success of each member is the success of the team. The department has everything for efficient work: weekly research seminars, data subscriptions, supportive faculty. Finally, Calgary is a fantastic place to live and work.

Advice for students: Choose a topic that you are really interested in. Find a supervisor who believes in you. Call on your discipline and work hard. Your work will be rewarded in your job search.

Christine Runge

Regulatory Analyst - Alberta Utilities Commission

MA University of Calgary (2014)

I chose to complete my MA at the University of Calgary because of my interests in energy, policy, and regulation. The ability to take classes such as natural resource economics with Dr. Boyce, regulatory economics with Dr. Hollis, and industrial organization with Dr. Church, combined with my work studying the effect of wind generation on pool price in Alberta's electricity market, prepared me for a career in Alberta’s energy industry. Following the completion of my degree, I took a job as a regulatory analyst at the Alberta Utilities Commission where we are changing the face of regulatory policy through our advancements in performance based regulation.

Joon Hwan Lee

MA University of Calgary (2014)

"After completing my BA and MA from the University of Calgary, I have gained analytical and critical skills that are essential to work as an economist. The programs were challenging but rewarding at the same time. If you don’t mind cold weather and want to study with outstanding faculty, then University of Calgary is one of the best places to study economics."

Le Yu

Research Analyst, Rainmaker Global Business Development

MA University of Calgary (2014)

“The whole year in the MA program at University of Calgary for me was both challenging and fruitful. The Department gave me every chance to develop my overall skills and build up my confidence. This experience will always be special to me! So, if you want to be in a rising city, a rising university, and a rising department all at the same time, the Economics Department at University of Calgary is the top place to go!”

Siddhartha Bhattacharya

Senior Economist, Gray Energy Economics, Edmonton, AB

MA University of Calgary (2013)

"The main reason for me to choose the University of Calgary's  Economics department for graduate studies is its research strengths, particularly in international trade. While the university's incredible surge in rankings and accolades over the past few decades precedes itself, its Economics department consists of a group of sincere, energetic and erudite scholars. Even though the expectation levels from MA students are quite high, the Faculty leaves no stone unturned when it comes to providing guidance and help for ongoing improvement in performance. My experience at the department was at times exhilarating and challenging but always thrilling and enjoyable. It is because of people like Dr. Tombe, Dr. McKenzie and Dr. Church that my understanding of advanced economic theory and its applications attained a high level of clarity, leaving me strongly motivated towards pursuing a career as an economist."

Rui Wan

Assistant Professor at Business School, Nanjing University, China

PhD University of Calgary (2014)

"Things are getting better and better at the Department. I have benefited a lot from the interactions between students and professors, and active communications among students."

Liang Chen

Assistant Professor, Wuhan University, China

PhD University of Calgary (2014)

"Although I started my PhD in Calgary in 2009 by chance, I found that the department is a great place for graduate students to pursue their academic career, especially for international students. The department creates an excellent research environment. Faculty members are very willing to support and interact with students. Graduate students have many opportunities to improve their communication skills, which is very important to be successful in academia."

Lukas Albrecht

Financial Analyst, Canadian Pacific

MA University of Calgary (2013)

"Thanks to some outstanding faculty members at the University of Calgary (Dr. Oxoby, Dr. Ferrer, Dr. Tombe) I have been able to foster my interest in economics, to be specific in trade and regulatory issues. My goal was to join the MA course based program, while putting a strong focus on my written component. This allowed me to be fully immersed in economic theory while producing two papers; one of which will be used at Canadian Pacific for an upcoming act review (published internally) and the second perhaps published in an academic journal. Overall it has been a challenging but rewarding experience."

Kevin Laughren

Senior Manager, Strategy with BMO Financial Group in Toronto.

MA University of Calgary (2013)

“I chose to complete an MA thesis at University of Calgary because of the department's research strengths in experimental and behavioural economics. I arrived from a career in banking and consulting with only an idea, and the department provided me with the supervisory support, facilities, and funding opportunities necessary to complete my thesis and course work within one year. My experience leaves me with an ability to participate in discussions of the latest economic research, and has empowered me with the tools to contribute through my own research and ideas. I believe the work I do in the future will be more meaningful and interesting as a result of my time spent at the University of Calgary."

Dr. Jesse A. Matheson

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) Department of Economics, University of Leicester, UK

PhD University of Calgary (2010)

"Choosing the University of Calgary for my graduate training was the right decision. The Department of Economics offers a competitive program and motivates students to produce at their full potential. At the same time, students are encouraged to participate in department activities, both academic and extra-curricular, strengthening bonds with staff and with fellow students. World class faculty provided me with guidance through my PhD and ensured I was prepared for pursuing employment."

Dr. Alexander Smith

Assistant Professor, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

PhD University of Calgary (2010)

"I began my PhD in Calgary in 2005 because I knew the department was the preeminent place in Canada for studying behavioral and experimental economics. Graduate students have close interaction with faculty and visiting speakers, providing them with an excellent introduction to how to conduct high quality research. The placement record of recent PhDs is undeniable evidence of how strong Calgary's graduate program has become."

Dr. Juan Moreno-Cruz

Assistant Professor School of Economics, Georgia Institute of Technology

PhD University of Calgary (2010)

"The Economics Department at the University of Calgary provided me with all the tools I need to be successful. Now that I can compare my experience with my new colleages I realized how unique and fulfilling the experience was for me. Access to faculty, and resources was fundamental. I also had a lot of fun (except during the qualifiers!)." 

Dr. Itzi Lazkano

Assistant Professor Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

PhD University of Calgary (2011)

"Doing my PhD at the University of Calgary was an extremely rewarding experience. It offered me a friendly and supportive environment to learn and develop as a person and an academic. I am especially grateful for the support and guidance I received from the department and the faculty. Calgary and the Department of Economics attract and welcome people from all over the world, in all shapes and sizes, making it a fun and interesting place to live, work, and learn."