Alumni Newsletter September 2014
News from the Chair
Greetings from the Chair! I am so pleased to bring you Western Economics’ second annual alumni newsletter. In this newsletter, you will find articles featuring Professors Emeritus David Laidler and Michael Parkin and their impact on today's monetary policy leaders; the new student-run Western Economics Society (WES); an update on our Master of Financial Economics (MFE) program; and a faculty profile of Canada Research Chair Lars Stentoft.
As with every September, campus has started bustling with students. The quiet of summer research has been replaced with the excitement of another school year. This year brings particular excitement to Western Economics as we look to fill two senior positions. These positions are a direct result of investment decisions by Provost Deakin as she seeks to build on areas of excellence across campus. Importantly, these positions will strengthen our strategic area of human capital and productivity with one of the positions being a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Human Capital and Productivity and the other at the Associate level. As this research area encompasses a number of fields in economics, we are casting a wide net in search of high profile researchers to fill these positions. If you know of someone who would be a good fit for either of these senior positions, please direct them to our advertisement page. We will also be on the junior market this year with at least one position, so please send your new PhDs our way as well.
In addition to a busy recruiting season, the Department will be undergoing a leadership review as I am entering the fifth year of my five year term as Chair. As part of the review process, the Department will be hosting two external reviewers this fall as the Chair Selection Committee works to choose the next Chair. If you have views on the Department that you would like to share with the Chair Selection Committee, please feel free to send your thoughts and comments to economics@uwo.ca.
As the Department undergoes its leadership review, it will be preparing for reviews of both its undergraduate and graduate programs in 2015-2016. As part of our preparation for these program reviews, we will be conducting focus groups with current students and surveys of our alumni. Please watch for emails from the Department regarding such surveys as we would very much appreciate your input. We value your perspective as we look to make improvements and increase the real world relevance of our programs.
In addition to providing feedback for these reviews, there are other ways that we could use your support. First and foremost, we would like to continue to strengthen the links between you, our alumni, and our current students. There are several ways to make this happen. Check out our undergraduate course offerings this year and volunteer to speak to a class that relates to your career. Volunteer for Economics Career Night which will be held in early February 2015. Watch for announcements related to Economics alumni events in Toronto this winter and Ottawa next fall and come out to see old friends and make new ones. Even if you cannot make it back to Western or out to an event, let us know about any new changes in your life that you would like to share with your fellow alumni in future newsletters or on our Alumni Updates webpage.
Our first MFE class will graduate this December and the second class will be seeking internships for the summer. We are grateful to London-based investment firm Highstreet Asset Management for their generousity and support by providing scholarships and internships for MFE students. If you think your company would be interested in our new MFE program, via internships or placements, please contact us at economics@uwo.ca.
As we build and grow, external resources will be needed to complement the internal investments. With tightening provincial budgets and growing global competition, your donations matter more than ever. Please help by donating to our activities or contact us to discuss how you or your firm can help in our fundraising efforts.
Most importantly, we ask you to stay in touch! We would love to hear from you. To connect with us, visit the Alumni website and update your profile, join us at an upcoming event, send us an email, or stop in for a visit.
Until then, remember, ...The World Demands... Western Supplies.
Audra Bowlus
Chair
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