Meet Our Students

1.    “What drew you to UB?”

Arghyadip Gupta "Since childhood I wanted to study in a huge university that offers a wide range of courses and is known for its ethnic diversity. I was introduced to UB by my mentors. Learning more about UB made me determined to join it. The wide range of research in the field of economics is also a very significant factor why I was drawn towards UB."

Hamin Hong "I heard that there were a lot of great professors and Ph.D. students at UB. I am excited to study together. "

Glen Kailburn "Having completed my undergraduate studies at UB, I was compelled to continue my work here. I felt that the faculty body here at the university aligned with my preferred areas of study and research well enough to pursue research under their guidance. Also, as a Buffalo native, I have been well acquainted with the campus for many years now; it’s a bit hard to think about moving elsewhere at this time."

Qiong Liu "I had been living and studying here in Buffalo for my Master program for two years before the Phd program. My determination to continue my study in economics is inspired by what I have learned and who instructed me here. So, after deciding to pursue the Ph.D. degree in economics and continue on the academic path, UB is my first choice."

Benjamin Montoya-Burke "What drew me back to UB was its comforting atmosphere, amenities, and faculty. Since I previously completed my undergraduate career at UB, transitioning to a Ph.D. program here felt like the right choice. As the saying goes: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," right? "

Joo Won Park "UB is one of the best public universities with great faculty members in economics, and I found it a right place to get trained in Economics. UB is also famous for its diversity, where I will be able to learn different perspectives in doing research."

Ming Wu "On the one hand, UB is a one of the top, research-intensive public university in the world. The department of Economics is famous of academic excellence, where I can get systematical academic training. On the other hand, I like UB's culture of resilient optimism, resourceful thinking and pragmatic dreaming. "

2.    “What led you to becoming interested in the field of Economics? Is there a specific sub-field you find particularly thought-provoking?”

Arghyadip Gupta "I always wanted to pursue my career in Mathematics. My love for Mathematics led me to appreciate the study of Economics. As an undergraduate student it always excited that how the choices of humans and organizations can be analyzed with the aid of mathematics. The fields that I find the most thought provoking are Game Theory and Behavioral Economics. I find the study of strategic interactions between agents/organizations and the behavioral biases of humans really very interesting. I really want to delve deeper into these fields and produce good academic papers."

Hamin Hong "The fact that I could calculate societal phenomena by using math made me interested. Therefore, I chose economics as my major in college.  I have an interest in economic growth and development. To be specific, I am interested in the convergence that developing countries might catch up with developed countries. I hope that I will study these things deeper at UB. Also, I want to study and research urban economics, and macroeconomics. "

Glen Kailburn "I have always loved mathematics, but I wasn’t sure what professional sphere would best suite me until a few years ago. At the end of my first year of study in higher education, I took an introductory macroeconomics course and was instantly fascinated with the subject. I immediately shifted my focus to a math/econ degree plan and have been on that course since. Macroeconomics and financial economics are my two favorite topics; I would love to work in the professional financial sector given the wide range of implications that sector has on our economy. "

Qiong Liu "Learning economics improves and shapes my way of thinking, and leads me to the answers of the questions that have baffled me and confused me for a long time. Thus, I want to explore more in this area, especially in the fields of urban economics and labor economics."

Benjamin Montoya-Burke "My first real interest in the field of Economics came when I took a course titled Eco. Statistics/Data Analysis. The course dealt with basic statistics and standard economic principles, but what fascinated me the most were the tools I learned for analyzing datasets. Working within Stata, a statistical software package used for the course, made me feel like an explorer in a vast land of datapoints. This so-called journey was an introduction to the sub-field of Econometrics, which involves using mathematical models to test certain hypotheses for predicting trends in data. What I love most about Econometrics is its combination of Mathematics and Economics to estimate surprising trends in data. "

Joo Won Park "From my work experience in the public sector, I found that policy discussions do not always end up with wise decisions based on rigorous analysis and reliable evidence. I want to learn how econometric methods and machine learning can be used in policy analysis and think about how such analysis can contribute to a better allocation of limited resources in the society. I am also interested in policy instruments and incentives for sustainability and urban children issues."

Ming Wu "Economics can help us understand the wrold around us. The economic growth models got me interested in economics. I think econometrics is thought-provoking and useful. I can combine economics and statistics to solve real wrold problems."

3.    “Where do you hope to see your academic experience take you in the future?”

Arghyadip Gupta "I want to remain in academics. I am certain that my experience at UB will help me achieve my goal to become a good scholar. I want to apply for professorship at various universities in various nations and want to keep publishing significant works in the field of game theory and behavioral economics. "

Hamin Hong "I hope I will study economics at a university or economic research institute in the future. "

Glen Kailburn "Possibly the most valuable lesson I have learned from my academic experience is that perseverance is everything. As I move forward through the economics program and into the job market, I find I am less anxious about the future than ever before. Perseverance and hard work helped me overcome previous challenges and I expect they will see me through the future as well. Regardless of discipline or job title, I hope that my experiences at UB help me to satisfy my personal goals both professionally and personally."

Qiong Liu "Being an instructor after completing my Ph.D. degree is always my career plan. Also, I hope I can keep learning and improving and make my own effort to explain the observations that are inconsistent with the existing economic theories."

Benjamin Montoya-Burke "I hope to see my academic experience lead me to states or countries that I've never visited before. Economic models that work in one society might not work in another, which is why I believe interests in differing economies is important for improving quality of life everywhere."

Joo Won Park "I hope to work at research institutes or international organizations, where I can use economics to provide meaningful policy implications drawn from a large volume of data."

Ming Wu "I would like to be a college faculty and do some reserach after graduation."

Meet all our current Phd students.

Meet our Economics major students and the department's current College Ambassador. College Ambassadors are outstanding students nominated by their department to represent the department at campus and community events.