Newsletter - September 2026

Economics Department

Welcome to our new issue!
The current issue outlines the most remarkable achievements of our faculty.

You can follow us on X (former Twitter) and LinkedIn.

Awards and Publications

Professor Benjamin Milner Wins 2025 Best Paper Award for Young Economists in The Economic Journal
We are proud to announce that Professor Benjamin Milner has been awarded the 2025 Austin Robinson Memorial Prize by the Royal Economic Society (RES). This prestigious award is presented to the best paper published in The Economic Journal by an early-career researcher.

Professor Milner's winning article, "The Impact of State-Provided Education: Evidence from the 1870 Education Act," was featured in the October 2025 issue. The editors selected his work for its exceptionally rigorous quantitative assessment of one of the most significant education policy experiments in English history. By utilizing a fuzzy regression kink design and leveraging newly digitized historical records to match nearly 4 million individuals, Professor Milner convincingly demonstrates how the introduction of public schools significantly improved adult occupational outcomes and intergenerational mobility.

The award committee highlighted the paper as a powerful example of how rigorous economic identification can address "big picture" societal issues in a way that is both impactful and policy relevant. Reflecting on the honor, Professor Milner noted that he is delighted to have his work recognized for showing how specific policies can drive social mobility.

In addition to his award, Professor Milner's research has gained significant attention in the broader economic community and was recently featured on VoxDev, a prominent platform for economic policy and development research.

For more details:
Full Article
Award Announcement
VoxDev Summary

Professor Milner joined the University of Alberta Economics Department as an Assistant Professor in July 2020. We are thrilled to see his high-quality research receiving such significant international recognition.

Benjamin Milner
Publication in the Journal of International Economics

Professor Beyza Ural Marchand has published a new article in the Journal of International Economics, which is widely recognized as the top journal in the field of international trade.

In her paper, "Exports and intergenerational mobility," co-authored with Devashish Mitra and Hoang Pham, Professor Ural Marchand investigates how the 2001 US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) impacted occupational mobility over a 16-year period. Using data from eight rounds of the Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys, the study finds that while the BTA led to greater upward absolute occupational mobility for children, relative occupational mobility decreased on average. The research also highlights that children born to top-ranked parents benefited disproportionately and shows an increase in human capital investment across both college education and vocational training.
Full Article (Open Access)

Beyza Ural Marchand
Publication in American Economic Review: Insights

Professor David Brown has published a new paper in American Economic Review: Insights. This journal is highly regarded for maintaining the same rigorous quality and standards as the flagship American Economic Review while focusing on shorter, impactful research papers.

In the article "Electric Vehicles and the Energy Transition: Unintended Consequences of Time-of-Use Pricing," co-authored with Megan R. Bailey, Erica Myers, Blake Shaffer, and Frank A. Wolak, Professor Brown investigates how the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) creates new challenges for electricity systems. Using a field experiment to assess time-of-use (TOU) pricing and managed charging behavior, the authors find that while TOU pricing effectively shifts EV charging into off-peak hours, it unintentionally induces "shadow peaks" of simultaneous charging. These shadow peaks can exceed local capacity constraints and accelerate the need for distribution network upgrades. In contrast, the study finds that centrally managed charging solves these coordination problems, reduces transformer capacity requirements, and is well tolerated by consumers.

Professor Brown is a Canada Research Chair in Energy Economics & Policy at the University of Alberta. He serves as the President of the Canadian Association for Energy Economists and is a Faculty Affiliate at Stanford University's Program on Energy and Sustainable Development. Additionally, he holds several prominent editorial roles, including Senior Associate Editor of The Electricity Journal, Co-Editor at Resource and Energy Economics, and a member of the Editorial Boards of The Energy Journal and Utilities Policy.
Full Article

David Brown

Other Highlighted Publications

Publication in Energy Economics by Corinne Langinier

Professor Corinne Langinier, along with co-authors, published the paper "Environmental regulations and green innovation: The role of trade and technology transfer" on Energy Economics. The paper explores the relationship between green innovation and environmental regulation under free trade. Using data from OECD and BRICS countries, the study confirms an inverted U-shaped relationship and finds that technology transfers significantly boost green innovation across different stages of economic development.

Read the full article here.

Corinne Langinier
Publication in Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics by Pinar Gunes

Professor Pinar Gunes, in collaboration with colleagues, published the paper "The Effect of Brazil's Family Health Program on Cognitive Skills" on Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics. The paper examines how Brazil's Family Health Program impacted the cognitive skills of fifth-grade students. The research finds that early exposure to the program significantly improved language and mathematics scores, particularly in economically disadvantaged municipalities and among mixed-race and Black students.

Read the full article here.

Pinar Gunes
Publication in Labour Economics by Jiatong Zhong

Professor Jiatong Zhong published the paper "Learning in creative tasks: Evidence from a digital platform" on Labour Economics. The paper investigates learning-by-doing among fiction writers on a digital publishing platform. The study documents how quality improvement can persist for several years, highlighting how the learning process in creative fields differs significantly from manufacturing settings.

Read the full article here.

Jiatong Zhong
Publication in European Economic Review by Malik Shukaye

Professor Malik Shukaye published the paper "Are bank bailouts welfare improving?" on European Economic Review. The paper assesses the welfare benefits of government-funded emergency support to the financial sector using a quantitative general equilibrium model. It finds that maintaining effective capital buffers is significantly more important for financial stability and welfare than managing bailout expectations.

Read the full article here.

Professor Malik Shukaye

Presentations and Media Highlights

David Brown's Presentation at Penn State

Professor David Brown was recently invited to speak at Penn State University. He presented his research as part of the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering Graduate Seminar Series.

In his presentation, "Take the Load Off: Effort and Technology as Determinants for Demand Response," Professor Brown explores a critical challenge in the transition to renewable energy: how to manage electricity demand effectively. His research reveals a striking finding: while smart technology is often touted as the solution, human behavior remains the primary hurdle. By comparing automated systems against app-enabled and manual adjustments, Brown's study shows that fully automated responses were five times more effective than any system requiring active human participation. This research underscores that the true barrier to grid flexibility isn't a lack of technology, but the opportunity cost of human time and effort.
For more information about the presentation, click here.
To read the full article, click here.

David Brown
Chetan Dave's Presence in the Media

Academic research thrives when it reaches the public. Professor Chetan Dave is a leading example of this impact, frequently appearing in the media as an expert commentator on the economic landscapes of both Alberta and Canada. Lately, he has been offering his expertise on recent discussions about Alberta separatism.
- Global News: Professor Dave joins Global News to analyze how the discourse surrounding an Alberta referendum creates significant risk and uncertainty for potential business investors.
  For the video, click here.
- Edmonton Journal: In a deep dive into economic stability, Professor Dave explains why political uncertainty prevents long-term investment. He highlights the "doom loop" of lost opportunities and draws parallels to the lasting economic effects of Quebec’s past referendums.
  
  "When a lot of these opportunities leave your province or your jurisdiction, government is elected to help people, and they end up having to become, for lack of a better term, that much more socialist because now people don’t even have work, or as high incomes, and it becomes almost like a doom loop."
  
  Read the full article here.
Chetan Dave

Farewell to Professor Marco Brianti

We are saying a fond farewell to Professor Marco Brianti, who served as an Assistant Professor in our department from 2021 to 2025. Marco is moving to Italy to join the Department of Economics at the University of Bologna.

During his time at the University of Alberta, Professor Brianti established a distinguished research profile, publishing several significant works in leading journals. His notable publications include two papers in the Journal of Monetary Economics and one in The Economic Journal, among others.

As he prepares for this next chapter, Marco shared these heartfelt words with our community:

"When my wife and I arrived in Edmonton just after COVID, I was already counting myself lucky. I had somehow found a job during a job market conducted entirely online (...a strange experience in which your future depended on your internet connection and whether you remembered to unmute yourself). I was incredibly happy to be joining the University of Alberta, but beyond that, I had no idea what to expect. What I found was wonderful: great colleagues who became dear friends, and a department that quickly became much more than a place to work.

There is so much I remember with a smile, from the evenings drinking beer together at the Faculty Club, where I like to think some serious intellectual exchange took place (...even if I cannot recall all the conclusions) to the beautiful walks along the Saskatchewan River and our Labour Day canoe adventures. Yet when I think about what I miss most, I keep coming back to the ordinary days in the department: the conversations in the corridor, the shared laughs, and the way someone would ask how things were going and then actually stay to hear the answer. At the time, it was easy to take those little moments for granted, surrounded as I was by people who made them happen every day. Now, they are some of the things I treasure most.

Through those everyday moments, so many of you helped me grow as a colleague, certainly, but also as a human being, a husband, and a father. Your kindness, your example, and the conversations we shared have stayed with me, often in ways you probably do not realise. I carry them into my work and my family life, and I wish I had told you more often how much they meant to me. Perhaps I simply thought there would always be another conversation in the corridor.

Leaving for family reasons was the right decision for us, but it broke my heart all the same. It is a strange thing to move towards people you love while moving away from people you love, especially when they have made you feel so completely at home. I find it hard to imagine another department matching your warmth, your joy, and your love for life.

I still dream that one day I might be able to join you again and pick up where we left off, with a conversation in the corridor followed by a beer at the Faculty Club. Until then, thank you for welcoming us, for helping me grow, and for giving me so many reasons to miss Edmonton. If that day comes, the first round will be on me."

Marco Brianti

Graduate Students

Graduate Student Awards

MA student Aiden Cranston was awarded the ESNA MA Scholarship, the Research Prize in Economics, and the Core Prize in Economics.
PhD Student Attends ISEO Summer School in Italy

Qingrong Wu received a partial scholarship to attend and make a poster presentation at the ISEO Summer School in June. She was thrilled to present her research, "Diverging Residual Wage Inequality across Education Groups: Evidence from an Ability Composition Channel."
Five PhD Students Successfully Defended Their Theses

Congratulations to five of our PhD students who successfully defended their theses in the winter and spring of 2026:
- Xiao Lu: "Three Chapters on Economic Forecasting Using Financial Indicators"
- Yu Su: "Three Essays in Housing Rental Market"
- Yuhan Wang: "Three Essays on Voting Behavior in Canadian Federal Elections"
- Ashiqul Chowdhury: "Essays on Household and Labor Economics"
- Yizhuang Sun: "Three Essays on Education in China; Educational Mismatch, Higher Education and Admission Reform"
The Seventh Annual ESNA Policy Pints Elevator Pitch Event

Six PhD students presented elevator pitches at the Rocky Mountain Ice House in June. We would like to thank ESNA for hosting this event. The presentations included:
- Stefan Kang (3rd year PhD student): "When Promises Move Markets: Why announced is not believed"
- Shaun Magnaye (incoming PhD student): "Regional Disparities and the Regional Opportunities Investment Tax Credit"
- Hesheng Xing (6th year PhD student): "Does the Aging of Consumers Squeeze Out or Deter Business?"
- Olivia Li (3rd year PhD student): "Rises, Falls, and the Investor Mind: Testing the over-reaction story in China, Japan, and Hong Kong"
- Marco Paderanga (5th year PhD student): "Effects of a large battery in the Alberta electricity market"
- Husame Doganay (4th year PhD student): "Modeling Asymmetry and Tail Risk: Oil Shocks and U.S. GDP Growth (1947–2026)"

Institutes of Our Department - Activities of ACLMR

The Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR), housed within our department, has been actively engaged in organizing conferences and participating in events that shape Canada's public policy and labor market landscape. The institute brings together experts and scholars from across the country to promote discussions that inform Canada's policies.

Labour Day 2026

On September 8th and 9th, 2026 the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR) held its third annual Labour Day event bringing together researchers, practitioners, and industry leaders to share insights on immigration's impact on Canada's labour market, productivity, and growth, while exploring policies to better utilize immigrant skills. For more details, click here.
Pictures of the Event

Videos

Joseph Marchand's Welcome Remarks

Andrew McGee's Presentation

Valentina Galvani's Closing Remarks

The 2026 Eric J. Hanson Lecture: David Green

The Institute for Public Economics (IPE) and the Department of Economics hosted the 2026 Eric J. Hanson Lecture on March 26, 2026. This year's distinguished speaker was Professor David Green from the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC. Professor Green presented on "Distributive Justice and Empirical Policy Analysis."

Banner of the Event

David Green is a professor in the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC and an International Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies in London. His research expertise centers around the determinants of wage and employment structures, specifically bridging the gap between macro labor general equilibrium effects and micro labor identification issues. We were pleased to welcome him to the University of Alberta for this prestigious lecture.

You can watch David Green's Presentation below.

Newsletter - February 2026

Economics Department

Welcome to the first issue of the newsletter in 2026!
The current issue focuses on students and celebrates their remarkable achievements.

You can follow us on X (former Twitter) and LinkedIn.

Stories about our Students

Alborz's Journey at the University of Alberta
Learn how the University of Alberta’s Economics Master’s program prepared one student for success in research and industry. Alborz Moezzi embodies the program's strengths, proving its ability to equip students with a powerful skillset for lasting career impact. Below, you can access the article Alborz wrote by clicking on the picture.

Alborz with Valentina Galvani (head of the Department)

Alborz Moessi

I completed my Master’s degree in Economics at the University of Alberta, an experience that fundamentally reshaped how I think about economics, research, and applied problem-solving.

What initially drew me to the University of Alberta was its strong academic reputation, the breadth of research conducted by faculty, and the flexibility of the program. The department offers both PhD preparation and job-market-oriented masters degree pathways, largely determined by the courses students choose. That flexibility proved decisive for me.

The most defining moment of my degree came during my second semester, when I took Applied Econometrics, Machine Learning for Economists, and an Applied Research Project course. These courses marked a clear transition from theory to application. They pushed me into coding, modeling, and macroeconomic time-series forecasting, and required me to actively apply economic intuition rather than simply learn it. That semester gave me a practical toolkit that directly translated into my internships and later research work.

Two professors played a particularly important role in my development: Professor Valentina Galvani and Professor Sebastian Fossati, who supervised my capstone project. Professor Fossati’s applied and machine learning courses were instrumental in building my technical foundation, while Professor Galvani’s mentorship shaped how I approach research, structure analysis, and communicate results. I am currently continuing this work as a research assistant with Professor Galvani after graduating.

My first semester was heavily theory-based and, at times, challenging. However, that theoretical foundation proved invaluable once I moved into applied work. Concepts that initially felt abstract became essential when building models, interpreting results, and understanding their limitations.

During my degree, I chose to extend my program and complete an eight-month MITACS internship, rather than finishing in the standard timeline. That decision allowed me to gain nearly a full year of professional experience, deepen my technical skills, and write my capstone paper based on real applied research. I also took additional data analysis courses, which further strengthened my preparation for the job market.

As an international student, I found the University of Alberta to be a supportive and credible institution, both academically and professionally. Since graduating, my life has been filled with continued learning, research, and refining the skills I developed during my degree and internships.

One belief I often share with students is this: a master’s degree may take one or two years, but it stays with you for the rest of your life. If you feel uncertain, reach out. I have organized webinars for undergraduate economics students to discuss what a master’s degree actually entails, what skills it builds, and what life looks like afterward. You cannot regret learning more.

Want to learn more about this experience? A video is also available below.
Alumni Succeeding at Bank of Canada

The University of Alberta's Department of Economics received a heartwarming visit in early August. Two recent Bachelor of Arts in Economics alumni, Selam Abraham and Austin Ference, returned to their former department alongside their Bank of Canada manager, Farrukh Suvankulov, bringing with them exceptional praise for the education they received at the U of A.

Click on the pic for the story.

Selam Abraham and Austin Ference with Malik Shukaev

Alumni Visiting Our Department

Selam Abraham and Austin Ference returned to their former department, alongside their Bank of Canada manager, Farrukh Suvankulov. The trio was in Edmonton for meetings with Government of Alberta officials, but Suvankulov specifically requested a visit to the Economics department to express his gratitude for the outstanding economists the program consistently produces. His message was unequivocal in its praise.

"Please also convey my regards to Valentina Galvani (the Chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Alberta), and thank her for running one of the best economics departments in the country," Suvankulov told department members. "The Bank feels very fortunate and thankful to have hired graduates like Austin and Selam — and I truly mean it. Please keep doing what you have been doing."

During their visit, the group posed for photos with Professor Malik Shukayev in front of a display case containing two prestigious Bank of Canada Governor's Challenge prizes. They're tangible symbols of the exceptional work these graduates accomplished while still students. Selam's team earned their victory in 2023, while Austin's team claimed the prize in 2021, demonstrating the department's consistent excellence in this national competition.

The Governor's Challenge, which invites students to tackle real economic policy questions facing the Bank of Canada, represents one of the most prestigious undergraduate economics competitions in the country. The fact that U of A teams have claimed multiple victories speaks volumes about both the quality of education students receive and their dedication to applying economic principles to real-world challenges.

The success story extends beyond individual achievement. During their visit to the Government of Alberta, Abraham and Ference had the opportunity to reconnect with former U of A teammates who now work in various government roles, illustrating the broad impact and network that emerges from the university's economics program.

We are incredibly proud of Selam, Austin, and all our graduates who go on to make meaningful contributions in their careers," said professor Shukayev. "When we see our former students succeeding at institutions like the Bank of Canada and receiving such outstanding recognition from their supervisors, it reinforces our commitment to providing the highest quality economics education."

The visit serves as a powerful reminder of the Department of Economics' reputation for producing graduates who are not only technically proficient but also capable of making immediate, meaningful contributions to their organizations.
Labour Day 2025 (ACLMR) – Students' Highlights

The Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR), housed within our department, celebrated Labour Day on September 2, 2025. The event showcased the bright talent of our students. A dedicated poster session highlighted their research projects, offering an engaging platform for peer learning and faculty mentorship.

The students who presented included Luke Harold, Shaun Magnaye, Kyle Phong, Aldi Pollozhani, Liyuan Xuan, and Yuhan Wang.
Pictures of the Event
A Graduate Student's Tribute to A Faculty Member

A former graduate student shares how Melvine McMillan's generosity shaped his time at University of Alberta, leaving an unforgettable legacy.
Click on the pic for the story.

Mel McMillan

Christmas at the McMillans by Junaid Jahangir

I arrived in Canada a quarter of a century ago as a young graduate student and I fell in love with its beautiful people. I use the adjective beautiful to highlight that the people I met said "thank you", held the door for others, respected each other's space, and made one feel welcome.

Early Support

When I was struggling to make ends meet, our librarian, Margaret Howell, would help me financially. She would drive her signature purple car and take me to her cozy home where she would shower me with kindness and a sumptuous meal. When I fell sick, the executive admin, Theresa Everest made me large bottles of solid soup. A major highlight of my grad school days remains the Christmas dinners at the McMillans.

Mel McMillan

Mel taught me Public Expenditures. While I didn't follow in Mel's footsteps in that area, a paper from his reading list by Oates impacted me greatly. The paper made its point simply without the pretense of abstruse mathematics. Just as that paper did not need unnecessary complexity to make a point, so too Mel didn't have the air of a high and mighty person. Given his formidable wealth of experience and incisive expertise in his field, he didn't need any pretense that academics unsure of their place often display.

Mel is way above that. The word to describe him in Urdu is sarshaar, which means "overflowing, full, or brimming". While it could refer to being intoxicated, it is used to describe "brimming with love or joy". Such people are rare. They give.

The Gift of Giving

Many people in life are takers. They are unsure of their place, and worse, remain insecure even after amassing so much. But Mel and Maureen McMillan give. When one of our graduate students fell gravely sick, Mel and Maureen took her in. They gave her home and care whilst she underwent chemotherapy, which is not a walk in the park.

Christmas Dinners

Every Christmas, the McMillans would invite graduate students far away from home. It was a feast, all prepared by Maureen herself. There were mashed turnips and sweet potato, which I specifically loved. Back then I was following dietary restrictions. Maureen had a constellation of food, both turkey and ham, home-made brew, a wide array of desserts. She introduced me to Nanaimo bars. There was something for everyone. The word "inclusive" wasn't in my dictionary back then, but that's exactly what it was.

I would look forward to the annual Christmas dinners. I specifically enjoyed the cozy home feeling, Christmas music in the background, food that brings people together, and the care and warmth of exceptionally kind hosts. Mel's dashing hero pic as a young man is a sight to behold.

Family & Memories

Of course, the McMillans were joined by their daughter, son-in-law and grandkids Moira and Kimberly. Moira must have been around 7 or 8 when I first met her. I still have the snowman she drew for me. I recall teasing her that maybe Mel was Santa in disguise. In retrospect, that was a lousy attempt at connecting with a young child. Today, both Moira and Kimberly are young adults. Moira would now be around the age that I first went to the McMillans.

Maureen would pack us food and Mel would give some of us a ride back home. Mel has long since retired and Maureen needs care. My own Mom has been dealing with stage 4 cancer since last year and we take it one day at a time. When my grandma passed in 2015, this clip from Kubo and the Two Strings helped me some.

Moon Beast: Everything you loved is GONE! Everything you knew has been TAKEN from you!

Kubo: No… it's in the memories. The most powerful kind of magic there is. It makes us stronger than you'll ever be. These are the memories of those we've loved and lost. And if we hold their stories, deep in our hearts … then you will never take them away from us.

Reflection

These are trying times whether one is battling with disease at home or the world outside with backsliding democracy, unending wars, or normalized genocide. In all this mess, my mind goes back to happier days. The memories of the kind and generous people I have met in Canada are etched in my mind. It is their kindness that I wish to cherish in times of immense polarization and increasing inequality. And what the McMillans have done for us graduate students can never be repaid and never be forgotten.

Students Awards

Undergraduate Awards

Our recent awards ceremony honoured outstanding undergraduate students for their remarkable achievements.

Jacob Melville won the An Angus Sinclair Abell Memorial Scholarship in Economics, awarded to a student with superior academic achievement entering the third year of study for a Bachelor of Arts with an Honours in Economics. He also won the The Economics Society of Northern Alberta Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a student with superior academic standing enrolled in the third or fourth year in the Faculty of Arts and majoring in Economics (with preference given to students with financial need).
Diya Arora won the The Archibald Forster McGoun Memorial Scholarship in Economics, which is awarded annually to a student with superior academic achievement entering the second, third or fourth year of the honours program in Economics.
Jarod Chiasson won the The Balder von Hohenbalken Memorial Prize in Economics, awarded to the student with the highest academic standing in ECON 471 or ECON 472 Industrial Organization. He also won the The Duncan Alexander MacGibbon Medal in Economics, which is awarded annually to the student convocating with highest distinction from Honours Economics.
Ciel Tusiime won the The Dr Manmohan Singh Prize in Economics, awarded annually to a student with superior academic achievement in the Faculty of Arts majoring in Economics. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic standing in ECON 213 (An Introduction to the Economics of Developing Countries).
Duncan Morrison won the The Dr Milton F Bauer Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually, on the basis of academic merit, to a student proceeding to the fourth year of the honours program in Economics at the University of Alberta. He also won the The Ray Protti Scholarship in Economics, which is awarded to a student with superior academic achievement enrolled in any year of an undergraduate degree in Economics in the Faculty of Arts.
Luca Gennaro won the The Emerson and Tang Family Scholarship, awarded to a student with superior academic achievement entering any year of study for a Bachelor of Arts with a major or minor in Economics. Selection is based on academic achievement in economics courses and demonstrated involvement in sports; preference is given to a student from rural Alberta.
Lucas Lee won the The Evan Bahry-Ippsa Prize in Economics, awarded to a student with superior academic achievement enrolled in the third or subsequent years of a Bachelor of Arts with a major or minor in Economics, based on top academic standing in Energy Economics (ECON 366).

Graduate Students Awards

Our recent awards ceremony honoured outstanding graduate students for their remarkable achievements.

Adediran Oyejide won the Economics Society of Northern Alberta MA Scholarship in Economics, which provides financial support to the recipient during the completion of their Directed Research Project. He also won the Core Prize in Economics, awarded annually to a graduate student completing their Masters degree who achieves the highest overall GPA in the four core courses: ECON 503 (Microeconomic Theory I), 581 (Macroeconomic Theory I), 598 (Econometric Theory and Applications) and 599 (Applied Econometrics).
Xuan Cui won the Myer Horowitz Graduate Students Association Graduate Scholarship, awarded on the basis of academic excellence and merit.
Huan Yang won the Research Prize in Economics, which is awarded annually to a graduate student completing their Masters degree whose research paper in ECON 999 is judged the best.
Huimin Cai, Sohag Milon and Hanqi Liu won The University of Alberta Graduate Recruitment Scholarship. This scholarship is intended to recruit superior graduate students with potential contributions to the University's community and research.
Hanqi Liu won the AD O'Brien Graduate Scholarship, which supports students pursuing graduate studies in public finance.
Xiao Lu won the John Garrett Graduate Scholarship in US Studies, awarded for research on problematic aspects of Canada-United States relations or for dissemination of scholarly information in this field. It is awarded alternate years with Political Science.
Xiao Lu and Aldi Pollozhani won The Graduate Student Travel Award 2024/25, supporting travel for graduate students (convocation dates: Fall 2025 or Spring 2025).
Chao Jin won the Maurice, Mary and Max Stewart Graduate Scholarship, awarded to a student with the highest standing (minimum A-) in the final year of a Bachelor's degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Xiaoran Shi won the Maya and Mangesh Murdeshwar Graduate Scholarship, awarded to students registered in Computing Science, Economics or Mathematics who identify as women based on academic achievement. The award rotates among the three departments.
Qingron Wu and Xiaoran Shi won The Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarship. This scholarship recognises outstanding academic achievement among graduate students pursuing studies in Alberta, including international students.
Natalia Salamakha won the Elizabeth Vandenberg Graduate Award in Economics, awarded to a Master's of Arts student in Economics who identifies as a woman and meets satisfactory academic standing.

Our Students Receiving their Awards

Two Professors Mentored by the 2025 Nobel Laureate in Economics

How do we achieve economic prosperity? Dr. Joel Mokyr shares the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences "for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress". This prize is well-deserved. The curiosity, hard work, open-mindedness, and keen insight that characterizes Joel's research also characterizes his approach to graduate supervision and academic life in general.

Two department faculty feel extraordinarily lucky to have learned from Joel. Rick Szostak was fortunate to be one of the first students that Joel supervised at Northwestern (PhD 1985). Brendon Andrews was one of the more recent students to be (co-) supervised by Joel (PhD 2022).

We thank Joel for providing great advice, but also for his openness and generosity engaging in extended thoughtful conversations. He is a great scholar and an amazing mentor, who has promoted economic history broadly-defined, contributed forcefully to the joviality of academic life, and provided encouraging input that helped catalyze many academic careers. The profession has advanced through Joel's important research, and the two of us have felt the positive impact of his advice since graduating. We are very pleased that the Nobel Committee has recognized his excellence.

Rick Szostak

Brendon Andrews

Our Faculty in Events and Media

Our department is pleased to announce the involvement of our faculty in events and media.

Joseph Marchand on Minimum Wage Policy – The Line Podcast

Joseph Marchand, professor and founder of the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR), discusses Alberta's stagnant minimum wage in an episode of The Line: Alberta Podcast. With Saskatchewan raising its rate to $15.35 on Oct 1, Marchand explains why Alberta remains the lowest‑wage province in Canada and what that means for workers and businesses.

As former chair of the province's Expert Panel on Minimum Wage, Joseph stresses that policy should balance living‑standard protection with labour‑market flexibility, urging evidence‑based adjustments rather than political swings.
9th Institutions, Trade and Economic Development (InsTED) Workshop

The Department of Economics was honoured to host the 9th Institutions, Trade and Economic Development (InsTED) Workshop on September 20-21, 2025. Professor Beyza Ural Marchand was a co-organizer of the event.

This workshop is a key gathering for scholars advancing theoretical and empirical research in the critical areas of international trade and economic development. Based at the University of Exeter (United Kingdom), it fosters debate, research dissemination, and interaction among a global community of researchers. Its core mission is to deepen our understanding of how international trade contributes to economic development, emphasizing the pivotal role of robust institutions and integrating social, cultural, political, and historical dimensions into this dialogue.

This year's workshop featured distinguished keynote speakers: Professor Nathan Nunn from the University of British Columbia, and Professor Daniel Trefler from the University of Toronto, as well as 18 additional speakers from the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Germany, and United Kingdom. website.
Pictures of the Event
David Brown's Presentation at New York University (NYU)

Prof. David Brown gave a talk at NYU's Institute for Policy Integrity in December 2025. The paper presented was "Take the Load Off: Effort and Technology as Determinants of Electricity Demand Response".

NYU Institute for Policy Integrity is part of the School of Law and focuses on improving government decision-making regarding environmental, energy, and regulatory policy through economic analysis. This includes work aligning with my research project that investigates the design of policies to integrate flexible demand-side resources to improve reliability and reduce the costs of the electricity system.

David Brown
Faculty Presented at Alberta School of Business' Workshop

On November 29, 2026, the Econ Department represented at the Alberta School of Business' 2nd BUEC Workshop on Economics and Finance. Professors Brendon Andrews and Martin Alfaro from our department delivered presentations in the sessions about Household Finance and International Economics, respectively. We thank Jay Hyun, Yanhao Wang, and all organizers for making the event a success. We look forward to sharing more collaborative opportunities in future BUEC gatherings.

Picture of the Event
Chetan Dave Presented at Calgary Lecture Series

On October 29, 2025, Professor Chetan Dave presented "Trade, Tariffs, and the Vulnerability of the Economy," offering valuable insights into the forces shaping global economies. The talk revealed key factors behind economic success and potential challenges for the future. See this link for more information.

Chetan Dave

Institutes of Our Department - Activities of ACLMR

The Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR), housed within our department, has been actively engaged in organizing conferences and participating in events that shape Canada's public policy and labor market landscape. It brings together experts and scholars from across the country to promote discussions that inform Canada's policies.

Labour Day 2025

On September 2, 2025, ACLMR hosted its second annual Labour Day event. The program opened with a poster session that showcased student research, followed by a video highlight reel detailing site updates from the past year. Director Joseph Marchand delivered opening remarks before three research sessions featuring 9- to 15-minute presentations from ACLMR researchers. The day concluded with closing remarks and the presentation of grant awards.

Picture of the Event

Videos with the presentations of our faculty members are included below.

Joseph Marchand's Presentation

Jiatong Zhong's Presentation

Andrew McGee's Presentation
Review of Economic Studies North American Tour

The Review of Economic Studies (REStud) North American Tour is a biennial event that brings together promising graduating PhD students from European universities to present their research to audiences across North America. In October 2026, ACLMR members Joseph Marchand, Alexander Whalley, Len Goff, Jiatong Zhong, Jean‑William Laliberte, Atsuko Tanaka, Yu (Sonja) Chen and Stefan Stabli attended the tour.

For a full overview of the event, visit ACLMR's article.
Pictures of the Event
ACLMR Contributed to Mount Royal University's Two‑Day Labour Market Forum

On November 3–4, 2026, Mount Royal University hosted a two‑day event featuring panels and presentations from government, industry, and post‑secondary leaders. The discussions focused on the forces reshaping Alberta's labour market and what they mean for organisations, careers, and communities.

ACLMR members presented and participated in several sessions: Joseph Marchand moderated Day 1 Panel 1 “Preparing for the Coming Storm”; David Finch delivered three presentations—“Where from Here?” (Day 1), “Reimagining Talent: Alberta 2036” (Day 2) and a second “Where from Here?” (Day 2); and Chad Saunders moderated Day 1 Panel 2 “The End of Jobs”. Hussein Al‑Zyoud was also present as an attendee.

To explore the full agenda, visit the event's Full Event Agenda.
Pictures of the Event

Publications - Academic Year 2024-2025

The following is a selection of our research output during the academic year 2024-2025. Each entry lists the authors, year, title, and publication details.

Andrews, B. P. (2024). "Economic Evaluation Under Ambiguity and Structural Uncertainties." Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis, 15(3), 456-476.
Andrews, B. P. (2024). "Medical ethics and physician motivations." Journal of Health Economics, 98, 102933.
Bailey, M. R., Brown, D. P., Shaffer, B., & Wolak, F. A. (2025). "Show me the money! A field experiment on electric vehicle charge timing." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 17(2), 259-284.
Bento, P., & Ranasinghe, A. (2025). "Financial frictions at entry, average firm size, and productivity." The BE Journal of Macroeconomics.
Brenčič, V. (2024). "Distribution of vacancies and new hires across employers: Implications for job offers, skill requirements, and employers' search outcomes." Labour Economics, 91, 102637.
Brown, D. P., & Muehlenbachs, L. (2024). "The value of electricity reliability: Evidence from battery adoption." Journal of Public Economics, 239, 105216.
Brown, D. P., Cajueiro, D. O., Eckert, A., & Silveira, D. (2025). "Evaluating the role of information disclosure on bidding behavior in wholesale electricity markets." Energy Economics, 108505.
Chavis, L., & Wheeler, L. (2025). "Applying Indigenous Approaches to Economics Instruction." Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, 8(1), 57-73.
Chiparawasha, F., & Hryshko, D. (2024). "A guide to estimating the canonical income process in quasidifferences." Macroeconomic Dynamics, 28(6), 1231-1252.
Dave, C., & Sorge, M. M. (2025). Lectures on Dynamic Macroeconomics: Methods and Applications (Vol. 24). World Scientific.
Dave, C., Dressler, S. J., & Malik, S. (2025). "Cautionary tales of fat tails." Journal of Macroeconomics, 103679.
Dimitrova-Grajzl, V., Grajzl, P., Kokodoko, M., & Wheeler, L. (2025). "Fostering Financial Inclusion by Ensuring Cultural Fit: The Case of the NCDFI Industry." American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 48(2).
Dimitrova-Grajzl, V., Grajzl, P., Vogel, L., & Wheeler, L. (2024). "Harnessing Soft Information to Promote Financial Inclusion: The Case of Business Lending by a Native CDFI." Journal of Financial Services Research, 1-32.
Durán-Castillo, G., Weis, T., Leach, A., & Fleck, B. A. (2025). "Toward Sustainable Electricity Markets: Merit-Order Dynamics on Photovoltaic Energy Price Duck Curve and Emissions Displacement." Sustainability, 17(10), 4618.
Gunes, P. M. (2025). "Female education and socioeconomic outcomes." IZA World of Labor.
Harrison, K., & Leach, A. (2025). "Climate policymaking in crisis: the impact of declining oil prices, COVID-19, and the Ukraine war in Canada." Environmental Politics, 1-23.
Helliwell, J. F., Aknin, L. B., Huang, H., Norton, M., Wang, S., Cheung, F., & Konrath, S. (2025). "Caring and sharing: global analysis of happiness and kindness."
Klumpp, T., & Su, X. (2024). "Stockpiling and shortages." International Economic Review.
Langinier, C., Martínez-Zarzoso, I., & Ray Chaudhuri, A. (2025). "Environmental regulations and green innovation: The role of trade and technology transfer." Energy Economics, 108755.
Leach, A., & Mason, C. F. (2024). "Fossil Fuel Reserve Development Under Carbon Pricing." Annals of Economics and Statistics, (156), 141-166.
McGee, A. D., & McGee, P. J. (2025). "Gender and race differences on incentivized personality measures." Frontiers in Behavioral Economics, 4, 1499464.
McGee, A., & McGee, P. (2025). "Gender differences in reservation wages in search experiments." Labour Economics, 94, 102698.
Milner, B. (2025). "The impact of state-provided education: Evidence from the 1870 Education Act." The Economic Journal, ueaf031.
Nobert, F., Weis, T., Leach, A., & García, S. A. (2025). "A Wind Offset Paradox: Alberta's Wind Fleet Displacing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Depressing Future Offset Values." Wind, 5(1), 2.
Razek, N., Galvani, V., McQuinn, B., & Rajan, S. (2025). "Does Saudi Arabia's International Competitiveness Improve Due to Sanctions Imposed on Competitors? The case of two wars." Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 74(C), 457-482.
Trajtenberg, N., Fossati, S., Diaz, C., Nivette, A. E., Aguilar, R., Ahven, A., & Eisner, M. P. (2024). "The heterogeneous effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on crime across the world." Crime Science, 13(1), 1-12.
Ural Marchand, B. (2025). "Employment adjustments to increased imports: Evidence from a developing country." Contemporary Economic Policy, 43(3), 520-538.
Wang, C., Liu, X., Tani, M., & Zhao, Y. (2025). "Safety nets and investment choices." Emerging Markets Review, 101311.

Newsletter - September 2026

Economics Department

Awards and Publications

Professor Benjamin Milner Wins 2025 Best Paper Award for Young Economists in The Economic Journal

Publication in the Journal of International Economics

Publication in American Economic Review: Insights

Other Highlighted Publications

Publication in Energy Economics by Corinne Langinier

Publication in Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics by Pinar Gunes

Publication in Labour Economics by Jiatong Zhong

Publication in European Economic Review by Malik Shukaye

Presentations and Media Highlights

David Brown's Presentation at Penn State

Chetan Dave's Presence in the Media

Farewell to Professor Marco Brianti

Graduate Students

Graduate Student Awards

PhD Student Attends ISEO Summer School in Italy

Five PhD Students Successfully Defended Their Theses

The Seventh Annual ESNA Policy Pints Elevator Pitch Event

Institutes of Our Department - Activities of ACLMR

Labour Day 2026

The 2026 Eric J. Hanson Lecture: David Green

Newsletter - February 2026

Economics Department

Stories about our Students

Alborz's Journey at the University of Alberta

Alborz Moessi

Alumni Succeeding at Bank of Canada

Alumni Visiting Our Department

Labour Day 2025 (ACLMR) – Students' Highlights

A Graduate Student's Tribute to A Faculty Member

Christmas at the McMillans by Junaid Jahangir

Early Support

Mel McMillan

The Gift of Giving

Christmas Dinners

Family & Memories

Reflection

Students Awards

Undergraduate Awards

Graduate Students Awards

Two Professors Mentored by the 2025 Nobel Laureate in Economics

Our Faculty in Events and Media

Joseph Marchand on Minimum Wage Policy – The Line Podcast

9th Institutions, Trade and Economic Development (InsTED) Workshop

David Brown's Presentation at New York University (NYU)

Faculty Presented at Alberta School of Business' Workshop

Chetan Dave Presented at Calgary Lecture Series

Institutes of Our Department - Activities of ACLMR

Labour Day 2025

Review of Economic Studies North American Tour

ACLMR Contributed to Mount Royal University's Two‑Day Labour Market Forum

Publications - Academic Year 2024-2025