Student Testimonials

     Thinking back, my foundation of knowledge and analytical skills are based on training I received in the Economics department. It was after I left the Economics department that I realized how valuable the knowledge and training I acquired at the Economics department became. I feel much more confident in working with multidisciplinary teams and I am convinced that all the hard work I devoted to finish the economics degree was worth the effort, especially those sleepless nights completing Dr. Ryan’s econometric course. His class notes are still in my office bookshelf and they always come in handy! During those busy days in the economics department, I also had a lot of fun. In particular, Drs. Bev Dahlby and Sam Wilson often invited me to play tennis. They taught me how to balance work and life – something I have not yet mastered! - K. Asakawa (MA, 2002)    

     In the summer of 2005, I worked as a research assistant for Al O’Brien, the chair of the Expert Panel on Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing, and Dr. Mike Percy, member of the panel focusing on territorial formula financing. I conducted research and case studies to assist the panel in its recommendations to improve Canada’s equalization program.  In my final year of study, I worked as a research assistant for Dr. Paul Boothe, with research focused in the areas of public finance and fiscal federalism. After completing my MA course work, I began to work for the Alberta provincial government, in the finance department, primarily in the areas of revenue and federal provincial relations within the economics group. - M. Alton (MA, 2007)

     We often nostalgically look back to that year of hard work and study at the U of A in Edmonton. A lesson learned was that any task can be accomplished if you put your mind to it. We still keep in touch with the close friends we made there, like Jim Love and Paul Precht. They helped us to feel at home on those freezing cold winter nights on the Prairies. - R. Baxter (MA, 1968)

     The foundation for my career in academics was definitely laid at the U of A. I found the faculty supportive and interested in what they study, and this is reflected in the quality of the teaching. I also want to highlight the benefit of the math/econ program. The math training I got prepared me greatly for the transition between undergraduate and graduate school. These things aside, however, three things about my time at the U of A stand out in my mind: Stuart Landon’s public economics course, Doug West’s urban economics course and the R.A. work on equalization that I did for Paul Boothe the summer before I left Edmonton. These experiences opened up a side of economics I wasn’t really aware of. To be honest, my impression of economics when I first started consisted of stocks and bonds and monetary policy. The array of field courses available at the U of A exposed me to many other areas of economic research. In the courses I discovered that I was interested in public economics, and particularly in the interaction that exists between the public and the private sector. This is a theme that still guides much of my current research. - R Cheung (BA)

     My experiences at the U of A definitely shaped the way I approach my work today. For example, I learned (and usually remember) to think about what I want to say before it comes out of my mouth (or is transmitted via e-mail). I often think back to something a wise man told me when I arrived at the U of A: don’t be in a rush to give your opinion, especially if you have time to give it more thought, because people are more likely to remember what you said than how long you took to say it. This is important advice for anyone to follow, regardless of their occupation or area of study. 

However, I don’t want to imply that I was discouraged from taking calculated risks. On the contrary, I was permitted to take some very unusual risks to achieve my goals. For example, I was (and still am) fortunate that when I took my Candidacy Exam, the people on my committee (who also included Robin Lindsey, Stuart Landon, and Moin Yahya) were open-minded, and thus approved my proposal to personally drive around Guelph for four months to collect my own gasoline prices. I was then even more fortunate to have co-supervisors who, after I arrived in Guelph, gave me their blessing to drive around the city eight times per day instead of three or four. I don’t know what they were thinking when they gave me this approval, but they nevertheless trusted me enough to give me a chance to prove that it could be done. It certainly paid off in the end. Over the years, I have often thought that I might not have been given so much encouragement if I went to another university.  There are certainly many opportunities out there for an economics graduate; one simply needs to remainhighly motivated, open minded, and willing to take calculated risks. - B. Atkinson (PhD, 2008)

     I had an excellent and patient advisory committee including Adolf Buse, Eric Hanson and John Delahanty. From 1997 to 2007, together with over forty volunteers, I was the leader of a project to publish indicators of the economic, social and environmental performance of South Australia. This project was housed in a business, community and government collaboration with the name of SA Business Vision 2010. It had the effect of improving the use of published data, rather than anodyne anecdotes, by the state Government when describing its performance. For this work I was awarded the Order of Australia in January 2007. My memories of Alberta, and of the Economics Department are of a time of great change in my life I became a married man and a father, made many friends and found a direction in my life. - D. O'Malley (PhD, 1975)

     After a couple of years in Ottawa at the Competition Bureau, the promise of opportunity brought me to Calgary, where I am currently a Real-Time Electricity Trader. Basically, I trade physical and financial electricity derivatives. 

No job has challenged my knowledge of economics more than trading. It’s a great feeling to understand a market (or at least think you do), implement a strategy, and have things unfold in the manner expected (i.e., make money!). Unfortunately, things don’t always work that way and I am humbled daily, giving me an appreciation for markets that can only be achieved by being submersed in one. 

I have my time in the Department of Economics to thank (or curse) for making my perception of life to be one very complex constrained multivariate optimization problem after another. What I believed at the time to be a Draconian workload proved to be the best life training I could have hoped for. I’m sincerely thankful for the tools I’ve been given to help me answer the larger questions in life. I’ve yet to encounter a situation that can’t be handled by a little economic theory! - C. Hudson (MA, 2003)

     I have had the opportunity to work on a number of different aspects of domestic and international public policy with the Government of Canada and with the International Monetary Fund. For a while, I even had the opportunity to work with Paul Boothe, my undergrad macroeconomics professor, while he served as Canada’s G-7 Deputy, a role in which he, and his granola bars, visited Washington, DC frequently. 

I also undertook research on the fiscal and tax policy aspects of environmentally sustainable development policies. This position was a great adventure. I had the opportunity to see parts of South Asia, South East Asia, and Africa that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen and I had the chance to positively contribute to public policy debates in a number of countries at a very high level.- R. McMorran (MA, 1990)

     Looking back at my career and educational experiences, I can truly say that the most important keys to my success have been to develop and maintain friendships through school. Chances are that you will end up working with your peers at some point in time in your career, and having a well-established relationship will only prove to be beneficial to your productivity and reputation.

Another key element to my success was to read the newspaper every day. I believe that an economist in western Canada does more policy and business planning related work which requires a greater understanding of current events issues and their potential impacts on your organization. In the case of public sector economists, excellent communication and written skills are essential to be able to translate complicated economic issues into something easy to understand for the general public and for your supervisors, who may not be economists. I reported directly to an economist in only two of the previous five positions that I have held. 

Finally, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of networking. I used to believe that the only benefit to networking was to try and get a job. As a matter of fact, over 40% of my time at work involves networking and meeting various business stakeholders and industry representatives in the Edmonton region so I can get a better understanding of the Edmonton economy and produce more prudent forecasts and analysis– something no economic model could ever do. - P. Tsounis (MA, 2001)

     In the fall of 1960 - fresh off the farm at Barrhead - I enrolled in what was then the 3 year BA program in the Department of Political Economy. In December, the Department Chair, Eric Hanson, called me into his office to suggest I join the four year Honours Economics Program (becoming one of two economics majors and three poli-sci majors in the program). The principal attraction of the Honours program was that I would not have to take any further science courses! Only later did I learn that the down-side was I would have to take calculus, stats, and of course Adolf Buse's econometrics. And Adolf of course made no concessions to his fellow Barrhead High grad. 

Upon my retirement in (from public service in1999), I was delighted to continue my association with the Department of Economics through my appointment as a Fellow of the Institute for Public Economics. I was also delighted that through the generosity of friends and associates, the department was able to establish the “A.D. O’Brien Graduate Scholarship in Public Finance.” In short, my relationship with the University of Alberta Economics Department has been a long and rewarding one, and I wish continuing success to the faculty, students and staff of the department, and thank the department and its faculty for their support and inspiration over many years. - A. O'Brien (BA Honors, 1964)

     When I finished my undergraduate degree at the University of Calgary, the economy was doing poorly and the job prospects were dismal. So, I avoided getting a real job and went to graduate school! I ventured north on Highway 2 to the University of Alberta, making the Tory building my new home for a few years. When I finished my Master’s degree, the job prospects were marginally better, so I did what I knew best – stayed at the University of Alberta to attend graduate school, this time for a PhD. There were finally lots of jobs for economists when I eventually started the job search! 

After a few years in Chicago, I transferred to Calgary. My job is to help multinational corporations with their transfer pricing, both from tax compliance and planning standpoints. I find transfer pricing to be interesting as you get to meet with executives at large companies, help them with various issues, and you can see the direct impact of your advice. Working for a “Big 4” accounting firm is not the place that you would necessarily expect to find an economist. But, in fact, many transfer pricing specialists are economists. While my job doesn’t require theoretical proofs, utility maximization problems, or econometrics, I draw upon my economics education every day as many aspects of economics, including industrial organization, game theory, information and incentives, taxation, and macroeconomics play important roles in transfer pricing. Beyond the economics is the need to be able to think critically and address complicated issues. I have found that my economics background allows me to bring a different perspective to issues that accountants, lawyers, and others typically don’t bring to the table. In the end, it seems to me that the choice to pursue economics has been worthwhile. 

My time at the University of Alberta proved to be a great experience as I learned a lot about economics (although a few faculty members may disagree), I met a lot of great people, and I discovered a great career. I figure it’s not a bad outcome for someone who went to graduate school to avoid getting a real job!- M. Hoffman (MA, 1995/PhD, 2001)

     In July, 2004, I found myself arriving Odessa, Ukraine for my fifth year of humanitarian aid work in the former USSR. After completing my MA I spent a year researching/ lecturing in economics at the U of A and co-authored a paper in economic history with professors Norrie and Szostak. My interest in the relationship between institutions and social well-being started taking greater shape at this time and I was fortunate to be one of the few people without a PhD to be granted a fellowship with the Civic Education Project to promote democracy in the Newly Independent States and work on higher educational reform in 1998. 

While in Tashkent, Uzbekistan I lectured in economic history and standard theory, as part of a project aimed at promoting long-term democratic development.  These skills are not innate, they are learned, and by reforming universities and introducing liberal arts programs, it was hoped that future students would enter into civil society and actively promote progress based on their own views, needs, and abilities and reduce the chances of policy errors as well as have independent skills for leading a happy life. 

I would not have anticipated that my interests in economic history, growth, social welfare, and the role of the state would have led me to the USSR while I was at Queen’s, where I completed my undergraduate degree, or at the U of A. 

Studying economics has opened doors for me that I could not have planned and it has given me the skills I need to adapt to new situations, to promote change and reform, and at the same time, remain open to new possibilities. I was not aware of how many ideological assumptions I had, or held so firmly, until virtually every single one of them was challenged by students, colleagues, and government officials in a variety of countries and in a variety of languages. My MA did not train me specifically for any of the challenges I have faced, but I cannot imagine how difficult it would have been to face any of these challenges without it and the support and advice I have received continually from the department. - B. Hebb (MA, 1998)

     I had the opportunity to work with Professor Boothe on several papers, including one published by the C.D. Howe. Thanks to Paul, I was able to present this paper at a conference in Argentina and spent a month touring South America with my wife. What a great experience. In the fall of 1998, my wife and I packed up and headed for Ottawa where I worked at the Department of Finance in the Expenditure Analysis and Forecasting Group of the Fiscal Policy Division. Essentially, the group is responsible for briefing the Clerk (Canada=s top bureaucrat) and the Prime Minister on fiscal and economic issues. Working in this very small group allowed me to apply my general knowledge of economics to a wide variety of issues, from modelling the economic impacts of Kyoto to the inner workings of the Cabinet Committees. 

My most important challenge is parenting. My economics training has actually come in surprisingly handy, although I haven't yet been able to explain to my wife (an Actor) exactly how kids are like real-life CGE models!! 

I have worked with many interesting and intelligent people. Economics was definitely a good career choice for me. And, for someone who is interested in public policy, but who also has an interest in applied research, I could not have asked for a better career to date. And, who knows what the future will bring? - D. Hermanutz (BA Honors, 1991)

     After I graduated from the U of A, I enrolled in law school at the University of Toronto. I spent my first summer working for two professors, Michael Trebilcock and Robert Howse, on a book they were writing on international trade. Professor Trebilcock focuses on Law and Economics and International Trade and my economics background was critical to my ability to receive and complete this assignment. The following summer I started working at a law firm in Toronto now called Torys LLP. I also articled at this firm after law school and have worked there since I became a lawyer in January 1996, becoming a partner in February 2002. 

I now practice corporate commercial law, and give advice and counsel to major national and multinational, publicly traded corporations on corporate dispositions, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, financings and bond and securities issues. I do not include economics in my daily practice but I have no doubt that the critical thinking that I learned in my undergraduate work in economics, as well as the work ethic of the honours program, have been an important part of my success to date. For example, I recall finding first year law school, which is a very challenging year and quite an adjustment for most students, a breeze after some of my fourth year classes such as econometrics and math for economics students! - K. Powys-Lybbe (BA Honors, 1991)

    When I graduated from the Honours program, I had no intention of pursuing further formal studies in Economics. Instead, I completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, Finance and International Business. So why should someone consider Honours Economics if they have no intention of becoming an Economist? The answer is simple, Economics teaches you how to think. 

In order to realize my life’s ambition of becoming a billionaire, I decided that I had to follow a simple game plan—learn accounting and finance and move to New York. Here’s the catch. You can learn accounting and you can learn finance but if you want to succeed in navigating the myriad of complex problems involved with business, you had better know how to think. Quick, how many photocopies are made each day in Manhattan? A famous interview question from top consulting firms in New York City that probes into a potential employee’s ability to think through various problems. Believe it or not, you are expected to provide an answer. 

So how do you possibly solve a problem like this? Start with assumptions and build a logical argument to derive your answer. Sound familiar? It should Assumptions and logical arguments are the foundations of economics. I have observed through my active involvement in recruiting that top business firms follow a simple philosophy when hiring. Employ smart people thinkers and teach them any technical skills they need. We don’t expect new recruits to understand the intricacies of the bankruptcy process, accounting or financial markets. If they can think through a complex problem in an efficient and effective manner then we can teach them the rest. We do not have time to teach them how to think. 

Those IS/LM curves in macroeconomics are more than just lines on a graph. Those complex interrelationships between theoretical economic variables teach you how to think through and solve real life complicated business problems. Most of my American colleagues, many of whom have graduated from the top institutions in the United States, have never heard of the University of Alberta or Edmonton for that matter, unless of course they are hockey fans. 

Through discussions with my peers, several of which are alumni from distinguished schools such as Columbia, MIT, and Harvard, it becomes evident that the education I received in Canada is at least on par with what many of them have received in the US.

I have three words of advice to anyone who is considering the Honours program, regardless of your postgraduate intentions: think about it. Learning to think efficiently and effectively will serve you well over the next 45 years of work in any profession you choose. Moreover, understanding the overall economy will never hurt you in any of your future endeavours, especially if your ambitions involve commerce. Many people respect the sheer fact that Economics is a difficult subject. Having an Honours degree garners even further esteem from many circles. It sends a market signal testifying to a person’s ability to handle complex matters. I am grateful to the faculty members at the University of Alberta, Department of Economics, for reinforcing my own ability to think. Now if I could only find the photocopier…- K. Verville (BA Honors, 1996)

     Having finished her MA in economics from Queens in September 1995, Carolyn hit the job market, but got off to a rough start. It was not a good time to be entering the workforce. The economy was stale and a government hiring freeze meant most new grads did not have jobs lined up waiting for them. Carolyn describes job hunting in the private sector at that time as an eye-opening experience: “I soon realized private companies were hesitant to hire me for two reasons: first, with an MA, I looked ‘too academic’ and second, my qualifications were not always a perfect fit to the job description. 1996 would prove to be a more fruitful year. As the government hiring freeze began to thaw, Carolyn stumbled into the field of energy economics, landing a job as a research assistant in the economics branch at the National Energy Board (NEB) in Calgary. 

She felt that the federal government showed more respect for her MA degree and also liked the fact that they were willing to train her on-the-job – elements absent in her earlier private sector search. At the NEB, her group was responsible for preparing long-term energy demand forecasts for Canada. Although she had had no prior experience in the field of energy economics, Carolyn quickly learned the ropes and within a year was promoted to a full-fledged Economist position. 

In July of 2000, she took a leave of absence from the NEB to work as a researcher at the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC) in Tokyo.  - C. Ramsum (BA Honors, 1994)

     I’ve been told somewhere along the line that on average each of us will have 6 careers over our lifetime. I’m way beyond that number and believe that two factors greatly helped with the career transitions: my propensity to bore easily and my economics education.

I am grateful that I was able to follow my BA Honors in Economics (University of Alberta, 1985) immediately with a Masters Degree in Economics (University of British Columbia, 1986). I see friends struggle to get their MBAs while working full time and managing a family life. I thank my lucky stars that it is something I did right away. I also think the MA degree is far superior to the MBA. Of course I’m biased but I believe it really solidifies a way of thinking - a way of analyzing. This has served me well and has allowed me to move between industries and between the government, private and not-for-profit sectors. 

My first job after graduating from the University of British Columbia was right back at the University of Alberta. I taught introductory and intermediate microeconomics courses during the winter session. I remember one of my UBC professors telling me that teaching is where I’d really begin to learn - he was absolutely right. Adding my usual flair to the material - Opportunity Curves with pink flamingos and Porsches rather than the usual boring guns and butter - I developed a great rapport with the students and learned several years later that I had inspired several students to pursue the field. 

Job number two was with the Alberta Department of Energy. This proved to be a wonderful training ground as I arrived just as natural gas prices and transportation were being deregulated in Canada. This meant that all of us, private and public sector, were starting at ground zero. I had learned a great deal about price forecasting, royalty systems, transportation tolls and the overlap of environmental and sustainable energy policies. Many contacts in the private sector were also made which lead me to job number three at TransCanada PipeLines in the fall of 1990. I lived many lives at TransCanada over my 10-year career with the company. My first task (job number 3) was defending the economic feasibility of the pipeline’s expansions before its regulator - the National Energy Board. 

I wrote evidence and arguments and appeared as an expert witness. As perceived competition increased in the gas pipeline sector my focus turned to competitive analysis and competitive positioning of the pipeline (job number 4). This led to a brief stint (job number 5) working in the trading room of TransCanada’s wholly owned gas marketing firm projecting long-term natural gas market and pricing trends. A restructuring of this business led me back to the pipeline to help draft the first ever pipeline price incentive agreement in Canada. And then it was off to the core of the business - Pipeline Operations - where I helped to manage the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the pipeline business (job number 6). This meant getting out to the field and working with our field employees. It meant flying the line in a helicopter and getting dirty in pipeline ditches. My tenure in operations ended with my leading a business process re-engineering project (job number 7) which challenged employees to find new and more efficient ways of working. 

Next challenge, a re-engineering project identified an opportunity to lay fibre-optic cables in the rights-of-way of the pipeline. This is where my economics background really paid off (job number 8). Going back to those economic fundamentals, I was able in one year’s time to lead a team, which analyzed the structure of the telecommunications business in Canada, which anticipated market developments, which devised a business strategy for TransCanada’s entry into the sector and which negotiated a partnership agreement to implement the strategy. Unfortunately, the merger of TransCanada PipeLines and Nova Gas Transmission dealt a deadly blow to the deal and I was off to job number 9 - President of TransCanada Hot Taps Ltd., a 100% owned subsidiary of TransCanada PipeLines. Hot Taps was a small spin-off company that specialized in pipeline welding. My primary task was to market and grow the company world-wide. This provided me the opportunity to see the world - literally: Buenos Aires one week, Sydney, Australia the next and Houston after that. Again my economics background was helpful in sizing up the market and also the “way of thinking” allowed me to distill a very technical, engineering focused product into simple market value terms. 

While many would argue that I was climbing the ladder of success at TransCanada, I felt a growing need to give back to the community that nurtured me. The opportunity presented itself in 2000 from seeds that were sown in 1994 when I was TransCanada’s campaign coordinator for the United Way Campaign. So the new millennium has seen me launch my tenth career at the United Way of Calgary. Rather than asking people to invest in the business of pipeline, telecommunications or hot taps, I’m now asking people to invest in their community. And this is a place where the returns are real …Real Lives! - J. Damery (BA Honors, 1985)