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Awards
Meet the 2023 SFU Economics graduate award winners
Congratulations to our graduate students whose outstanding academic performance and passion for economics has earned them the 2023 Department of Economics student awards.
Lang Wong Memorial Endowment Scholarship
Named in memory of Lang Wong who devoted over 50 years of his life to the cause of international development, this award is presented to an outstanding international graduate student who has demonstrated academic excellence.
2023 - Jeff Hsin-Yuan Hsieh
Jeff started his Ph.D. program in economics at SFU in 2020. Prior to this, he earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in economics at National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Jeff worked at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, where he participated in projects focusing on economic collaboration between Taiwan, China, and other ASEAN countries. His research interests are in econometric theory, applied microeconomics, and family economics.
2023 - Matheus Thompson Bandeira
Matheus joined the MA program in the Department of Economics at Simon Fraser University in 2017 and started pursuing his PhD degree in the following year. His main research interests lie in the areas of Political Economy, Economic History and Development. Within these areas, his research combines theoretical methods with the study of historical episodes to analyze political institutions and the mechanisms by which they affect the welfare of different societies.
Shiva and Elizabeth Nanda Graduate Fellowship in Economics
Established in 2021 with a generous gift from Shiva and Elizabeth Nanda, the fellowship is intended to provide financial support to students pursuing their doctoral degree at Simon Fraser University's Department of Economics.
2023 - Huiqian Louise Song
Huiqian joined SFU's economics department in 2017 as part of the MA program and later continued her studies in the Ph.D. program, following the completion of her B.A. at SFU in 2015 and gaining experience as a data analyst. Her research interests lie in economic history and institutional microeconomics, with a special focus on understanding how institutions shape economic behavior. She's had the opportunity to present her research on the impact of improved tenure security on landowners' responses to environmental issues at multiple academic conferences. In addition, Huiqian utilizes historical data to delve into the evolution of marriage matching in response to changes in inheritance laws over time. Beyond her research endeavors, Huiqian derives great satisfaction from teaching Microeconomics and integrating research into her classes to foster critical thinking and bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and their real-world applications for her students.
Meiyu Li Memorial Scholarship in Economics
Created in the memory of PhD candidate Meiyu Li, this entrance scholarship will go toward supporting outstanding international graduate students, like Meiyu, who are pursuing research in the Department of Economics.
2023 - Farhad Sharyarpoor
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.
Peter Kennedy Memorial Graduate Fellowship
Named after the late professor Peter Kennedy, this award is presented to the outstanding graduate student who has demonstrated academic and teaching excellence.
2023 - MATHEUS THOMPSON BANDEIRA
Matheus joined the MA program in the Department of Economics at Simon Fraser University in 2017 and started pursuing his PhD degree in the following year. His main research interests lie in the areas of Political Economy, Economic History and Development. Within these areas, his research combines theoretical methods with the study of historical episodes to analyze political institutions and the mechanisms by which they affect the welfare of different societies. Over the last six years, Matheus has also worked as a Teaching Assistant in over a dozen undergraduate courses. In his teaching work, he combines the tried-and-true traditional methods of economics with innovative teaching techniques from other disciplines. As a result of his work as a TA, Matheus was the recipient of the 2022 Terry Heaps Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award.
Peter Kennedy Memorial Graduate Entrance Scholarship in Economics
This fellowship is awarded to to a doctoral student who demonstrate academic excellence and promise of outstanding achievement with particular emphasis on intellectual ability, originality and ability in research and the potential for significant contribution to the field of economics.
2023 - Mahsa Ghahremani
In Fall 2023, Mahsa started her academic journey with SFU Economics, eager to advance her studies in one of Canada's leading PhD economics programs. With over 6 years of research experience, Mahsa's keen interest in environmental and energy economics is reflected in her two papers published in economics journals. At SFU, she's keen to deepen her understanding of economic theories while persistently exploring climate change and environmental economics.
Herbert G. Grubel Award
This award is given to the graduating MA student with the highest cumulative grade point average (CGPA) obtained in the MA required courses during the preceding Fall and Spring terms.
2023 - Jeremy Bell
Jeremy Bell is a Partner at George and Bell Consulting. He advises benefit and pension plan sponsors on actuarial and investment issues. As well, he advises institutional investors – endowments, foundations, First Nation trusts, insurance companies and corporations – on investment issues.
He is a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and is a CFA Charterholder. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from the University of Victoria and is pursuing a Masters in Economics at Simon Fraser University. He has served as a Director on the ICBC Board of Directors, an Alternate Trustee on the Municipal Pension Board and an Investment Committee Member on the Alberta Public Service Pension Plan.
James Dean Award
Named after the late emeritus professor James Dean, this award is given to the student with the best ECON 900 paper.
2023 - Kiarash Hosseini
Kiarash Hosseini is a PhD student in economics at SFU. He is an applied microeconomist in the fields of labor economics and development economics. The awarded working paper examines the impact of 3G Internet access in Iran on female labor force participation. Kiarash is currently expanding his expertise in algorithm design, data structures, and big data to effectively employ machine learning algorithms in his forthcoming research project. Besides his academic research, Kiarash enjoys teaching and taking complex ideas and breaking them down into understandable explanations for students.
Richard G. Lipsey Award
Given to the continuing PhD student with the best comprehensive exam results at the end of their first year, this award is named after emeritus professor Richard Lipsey.
2023 - P. MARIE ZAGRE
I joined SFU in the fall semester of 2021 for my master's degree. At first, I was interested in macroeconomics and applied econometrics.
My interest in economics was pure chance. After my high school, I chose this field of study because it seemed more concrete to me than mathematics (another field in which I was interested). Attending my baccalaureate classes gave me a taste for what I was studying, especially macroeconomics. This is an area that both fascinated and intrigued me. Regarding econometrics, I think my interest stems from my love of programming and data. I love the demanding challenges I face when I have to program an algorithm, it stimulates me intellectually.
Right after my baccalaureate, I continued my master's. Indeed, I have always liked the academic environment and I take pleasure in learning new things. My field of interest has changed over the course of my master's program. I still have an interest in macroeconomics but have also developed an interest in behavioral and experimental economics, in short, a more microeconomic side.
Otherwise, as an activity I swim, I play the piano and I love to read. Right after my master's, I started my doctorate. I'll see what the future holds for me.