Newsletter - September 2025

Economics Department

Welcome to our Fall issue of the newsletter!
The new academic year has started and we want to share our most recent achievements.


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Media Presence of Our Faculty

The Department of Economics has been at the forefront of the national conversation, providing expert insights and opinions on the most pressing issues of our time. Our experts have been sought out by major media outlets to provide analysis on key developments, such as the ongoing trade tensions between the US and Canada, as well as electric cars and pipeline projects.

• Chetan Dave on CTV News and Other Media outlets

  Chetan Dave, a professor of economics at the University of Alberta, has been a prominent voice on the economic implications of trade wars and tariffs, particularly in the Canada‑US context. He has shared his expertise on the potential consequences of tariffs on the economy, including consumer prices, trade relationships, and market uncertainty.

  

  Chetan Dave on CTV News
  
  Below are some of his recent contributions.
  • " Tariffs taking a toll on stock market (CTV News) "
    Chetan notes that tariffs are causing uncertainty and volatility in the stock market, affecting investor confidence and the overall economy.
    
    
  • " Alberta economist most worried about soon-to-be retirees in trade war markets (CTV News) "
    Chetan expresses concerns about the impact of trade-war markets on individuals nearing retirement, who may not have sufficient time to recover from potential financial losses.
  • " 'It would destroy the industry': Edmonton bookstores owners react to 25 per cent counter tariffs on books (CTV News) "
    Chetan expresses concerns about including books in Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against the US, suggesting that it may harm Canada’s economy and the book industry.
  • " Some St. Albert small-business owners halt U.S. shipments (St. Albert Gazzete) "
    Chetan explains that the end of de minimis exemption made US shipping too expensive for Canadian small businesses. He suggested marketing products globally to reduce reliance on the US market.
    



• David Brown's Presentation at NBER Conference

  In March 2025, Prof. David Brown presented at the NBER conference. The subject of the conference was "Data Infrastructure for Decarbonizing Transportation".

  
  David presented his forthcoming work in AER Insights, coauthored with Megan R. Bailey, Erica Myers, Blake Shaffer, and Frank A. Wolak.
  
  In the paper, the authors implement a field experiment to assess the effect of time-of-use (TOU) pricing and managed charging on EV charging behavior. They find that while TOU pricing is effective at shifting EV charging into off-peak hours, it unintentionally induces new and larger “shadow peaks” of simultaneous charging. These shadow peaks lead to greater exceedance of local capacity constraints and advance the need for distribution network upgrades. In contrast, centrally managed charging solves the coordination problem, reducing transformer capacity requirements, and is well-tolerated by consumers in their setting.
  

  David Brown



• Beyza Ural Marchand on Edmonton Journal

  A news article at Edmonton Journal has reflected the opinions of Prof. Beyza Ural Marchand on the trade war between the USA and Canada. She argues that Canada’s steel and aluminium sector is far more intertwined with the United States than most other industries. Because of this high level of integration, she believes tariffs will raise prices on both sides, though the impact will be felt more acutely in Canada. To soften the blow, she calls for measures such as easing inter‑provincial trade barriers, boosting productivity, and deepening ties with other trading partners.

  

  Beyza Ural Marchand

• Andrew Leach's Interview with CBC

  In a timely discussion on Canada’s energy future, Andrew Leach joined CBC to analyze the growing momentum behind east-west pipeline projects in Canada. With U.S. trade policies under renewed scrutiny, Leach offered a critical economic perspective on whether new infrastructure can truly reduce Canada’s export dependence on the U.S. He also explored whether the financial, logistical, and environmental realities align with the vision. His insights underscore the complex trade-offs at the heart of Canada’s energy strategy. The article can be found here.

  

  Andrew Leach

Institutes of Our Department - Activities of IPE and ACLRM

The Institute for Public Economics (IPE) and the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research (ACLMR), both housed within our department, have been actively engaged in organizing conferences and participating in events that shape Canada's public policy and labor market landscape. Through their collaborative efforts, they bring together experts and scholars from across the country to promote discussions that inform Canada's policies.

• Eric J. Hanson Lecture

  On March 10, 2025, the Institute for Public Economics was pleased to host MIT Sloan School of Management Professor and former Biden administration official, Catherine Wolfram, for the annual Eric J. Hanson Lecture. Professor Wolfram talked about trade and climate policies in the Trump administration and how these might affect Canada.
  
  
  

  Banner of the Event
  
  This lecture was attended by approximately 80 people in person, and an additional similar number of participants online.
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  Pictures of the Event
The lecture was recorded and the edited videos made available online. A video with the presentation is included below.






• Court Ellingson's Presentation

  On May 1st, 2025, also known as May Day, the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research hosted MLA Court Ellingson (Calgary-Foothills), who also serves as the Alberta Shadow Minister of Finance. This was the first virtual event held by ACLMR, as well as its first May Day event. Topics of conversation included provincial trade barriers, tariffs, and tips in restaurants.
  
  
  

  Banner of the Event
  
  

• Faculty Presence at Canadian Economics Association (CEA)'s Annual Meetings

  On May 30, 2025, several faculty members and graduate students associated with the Alberta Centre for Labour Market Research presented six research papers over two special sessions at this year's Canadian Economics Association (CEA) annual meetings in Montreal, Quebec. The presenters included Sebastian Fossati, Dmytro Hryshko, Xingfei Liu, Saba Ranjbar, and Joseph Marchand from the University of Alberta, as well as Apoorva Babbar from the University of Calgary. The ACLMR-hosted dinners in Montreal also closely rivaled the excitement of the sessions.
  
  
  
  Below are some pictures of our faculty in the event.
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  Pictures of the Event

Research Grants Awarded to Our Faculty

Various organizations have acknowledged the importance of our research by providing funding for our projects. This recognition reflects the value they place on our contributions to the field of economics and demonstrates the impact of our work in shaping economic policies and decisions."

• Brendon Andrews' SSHRC Grant

  Brendon Andrews, Assistant Professor in Economics, has been awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Development Grant for the project "Disease incidence and the economic origins of homeopathy in the United States."
  
  
  

  Brendon Andrews

• Laurel Wheeler's SSHRC Grant

  Dr. Laurel Wheeler, together with University of Calgary co-applicants Dr. Lucija Muehlenbachs and Abena Boafoa Darkwah, was awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Engage Grant in partnership with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations (CT6). This grant supports a new collaboration to explore research-informed pathways related to resource revenue-sharing frameworks.
  
  
  

  Laurel Wheeler

• Valentina Galvani and Chetan Dave's grant

  Valentina Galvani and Chetan Dave were awarded a grant from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation to explore the drivers of housing prices and produce educational material on the Real Estate market in Alberta. With the help of this generous funding, a group of excellent students (Jack Mossey, Rishabh Singh, and Devinder Pal Singh) is receiving training in the economics of housing.
  

  Valentina Galvani

  

  Chetan Dave

Faculty on the Move

We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Prof. Beyza Ural Marchand, who has been appointed as Associate Dean. Her achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication, and we are thrilled to see her take on new challenges. At the same time, we bid farewell to Valentina Kozlova, who is moving on to new opportunities.

• Beyza Ural Marchand Appointed as Associate Dean (Undergraduate Programs)

  We are delighted to share that Prof. Beyza Ural Marchand has been appointed Associate Dean (Undergraduate Programs) in the Faculty of Arts. Prof. Ural Marchand previously served as Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Economics, where she provided strong leadership in curriculum development and student engagement. In her new role, she is committed to advancing inclusive, high-quality undergraduate education, encouraging faculty-driven innovation, and strengthening academic programming across the Faculty. Her appointment reflects both her dedication to students and her vision for building an even more dynamic and supportive learning environment at the University of Alberta.

  

  Beyza Ural Marchand

• Valentina Kozlova Leaving Our Department

  Our colleague Valentina Kozlova moved to REES, where she will continue teaching and become the MAg Program Coordinator. We are sorry to see her leave, but we wish her the best in her new position. For many years, Valentina has been a pillar of our undergraduate programs, delivering high-quality teaching, conducting research on the effectiveness of in-classroom technology (research that has been presented at prestigious venues), and generally being a great colleague. We will miss her dearly.

  
  Here is what she said to our Department: "I can't thank you enough for the support and opportunities I've had during my 10 years here. Working with all of you has been a truly rewarding experience. I will forever believe our students are the best, and it was my honour and pleasure to work with them. My time here has been both fulfilling and inspiring. I have learned so much and developed professionally. I will always look back on my time here with gratitude."
  

  Valentina Kozlova

Seminars Fall 2024 - Winter 2025

Our Fall 2024 - Winter 2025 seminar series featured experts from prestigious universities and organizations. They shared their knowledge and expertise with our students and faculty, making the seminars a valuable addition to our academic program.

• John Lopresti
  Associate Professor of Economics, William & Mary
  "Trade Shocks: The Next Generation" (with Andrew Greenland and Mine Z. Senses)
  September 2024
• Arnaud Dellis
  Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
  "How Do People Vote Under Instant Runoff Voting? An Experiment on Complexity and Voting Behavior" (with Sabine Kröger)
  October 2024
• Nurlan Turdaliev
  Professor of Economics, University of Windsor
  "Bank Runs and Privately Funded Solutions" (with Yahong Zhang)
  November 2024
• Madeline Turland
  Assistant Professor, Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology, University of Alberta
  "Climate Change and the Regulation of a Crashing Insurance Market" (with R. Taylor and J. Weill)
  December 2024
• Kenneth Kasa
  Professor, Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University
  "Hope For the Best, Plan For The Worst"
  February 2025
• Galina Vereshchagina
  Associate Professor, Economics, Arizona State University
  "Capital Financing Constraints, Size-Dependent Distortions, and Aggregate Productivity" (with Long Qian)
  March 2025
• Irene Botosaru
  Associate Professor, Economics, McMaster University
  "Forecasted Treatment Effects in Short Panels" (with Giacomini, Raffaella and Weidner, Martin)
  March 2025
• Remi Daviet
  Assistant Professor of Marketing, Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin–Madison
  "The Power of Bayesian Neural Networks and Applications with Generative AI"
  March 2025
• Mike Paulden
  Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta
  "A Framework for the Fair Pricing of Medicines: Next Steps"
  April 2025
• Agnese Romiti
  Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde (Glasgow)
  "Beliefs on Children's Human Capital Formation and Mothers at Work" (with Césarine Boinet, Jonathan Norris, Zhan Shi, and Paul Telemo)
  June 2025
• Michele Battisti
  Professor of Economics, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow
  "Child Penalties in Labour Market Skills" (with Jonas Jessen and Lavinia Kinn)
  June 2025

Upcoming Events

Our department is pleased to announce its upcoming events, which will bring together experts and scholars from around the world.

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

  The Department of Economics is honoured to host the 9th Institutions, Trade and Economic Development (InsTED) Workshop on September 20-21, 2025. This workshop is a key gathering for scholars advancing theoretical and empirical research in the critical areas of international trade and economic development.

  
  The InsTED Network, based at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, 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 features 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. More information about the workshop is available at the conference website.
  

  Sponsors of the Conference

New Undergraduate Courses

We are pleased to announce the introduction of new undergraduate courses, which will enhance our students' learning experience and equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in their future career.

• ECON 223 - Economics of Globalization

  Link to the course. A survey of the evolution, governance, and current state of economic globalization, including trade of goods and services, foreign direct investment, and immigration, with special attention to its relationship to global poverty reduction, inequality, environment, and populism. The course will be offered for the first time in Winter Term 2026, taught by Professor Li Zhou.



• ECON 409 - Economic Forecasting

  Link to the course. Methods for modeling and forecasting time series data. Topics may include time series regression, forecast evaluation, ARIMA models, seasonality, dynamic regression, vector autoregressions, and conditional heteroskedasticity.
  
  

• ECON 440 - Monetary Economics

  Link to the course. Factors influencing inflation dynamics, money demand, interest rates and exchange rates in the long and short run. Analysis of the objectives, instruments, transmission channels and policy tradeoffs faced by central banks of Canada and other nations. The course will be offered for the first time in Fall Term 2025, taught by Professor Malik Shukayev.