Meiyu Li Memorial Scholarship in Economics

In the fall of 2023, I embarked on a new academic journey at SFU by enrolling in a Ph.D. program in economics, with a focus on macroeconomics and econometrics. My path to this point has been a transformational one. Originally, I pursued a bachelor's degree in mining engineering, finding satisfaction in the mathematical aspects of the field. However, I gradually realized that what truly fascinated me was the realm of human behavior. This epiphany led me to explore economics courses, ultimately leading to a life-altering decision to shift my academic focus entirely toward economics.

Since making that pivotal choice, I have been dedicated to the study of economics, driven by a curiosity about the nature of human decision-making and by utilization of mathematical tools to answer everyday life questions. Specifically, I have developed a curiosity in macroeconomics, delving into the intricate aggregate economic variables that shape the destinies of entire nations. Although, there remains a long way to go, I passionately want to expand my understanding of the field and enjoy Ph.D. journey at SFU’s Economics department.

Looking ahead, my aspirations are firmly rooted in academia and research. Upon graduation, I plan to continue my journey in the field of economics, contributing to the academic community as an economist.

Emilie Zentner joined SFU Economics in Fall 2022 and she is excited to further her education at one of Canada’s top PhD economics programs. She joins SFU from the University of Alberta’s Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology where she completed her BSc. and MSc. in Agriculture and Resource Economics with a focus on behavioural and experimental economics. Her thesis on the role of reciprocity on cooperative behaviour in public goods games won her faculty’s graduate student MSc. thesis award in 2021. Emilie has over seven years’ experience in applied economics research ranging from benefit distributions of agricultural biotechnology, impacts of resource development on Indigenous peoples, and economics experiments in public goods games. Emilie’s current research specializations are behavioural and experimental economics and psychological game theory in a climate change context. Emilie is excited to bring her experience in student engagement from her time as departmental GSA chair to SFU Economics, and expand her collaborative and international research network. 

After graduating from the University of Ghana, Samuel Basoah joined the master's in economics program at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in 2019. Eager to expand his knowledge in economics and further his education, Samuel moved on to pursue his PhD with SFU Economics after completing the MA program with distinction within a year. His areas of specialization are macroeconomics (experimental and computational), applied-micro-econometrics, monetary, labor, and international finance. He is also interested in the economics of space particularly how the cryptocurrency market affects space exploration, and how countries can attain sustainable debt.