Michael Boutros joined the Department of Economics on 1 July 2024. The appointment is a homecoming for Assistant Professor Boutros who completed his undergraduate studies in Financial Economics at Innis College, University of Toronto. After convocation, he went on to complete his MA and PhD at Duke University. Boutros returns to UofT from the Bank of Canada where he served as a Senior Economist with the Financial Stability Department and the Economics and Financial Research Department during his three-year term. His research interests and publication history touch on a variety of aspects of household finance and macroeconomic policy.
“The University of Toronto is an incredible academic institution with creative researchers in nearly every field,” Professor Boutros said. “I’m honoured to join the University’s extremely productive Department of Economics and contribute to the intellectual environment.”
Boutros’ approach to teaching is rooted in expanding that intellectual environment as students develop as economists.
“I don’t teach economics — I teach how to think in terms of economics. As I frequently tell anyone who’ll listen, everything is economics!” he explained. “My goal is to teach students the tools of economics and how they can be applied to every subject, from stock markets to kidney transplant lists. University is a place to learn how to think, and I can’t wait to guide students along that journey.”
Boutros hopes to create mutually supportive learning communities in each of his courses at both the UTM and the St. George campus.
“Professors, TAs, and students have different but equally important roles,” he said. “Professors lead the course, students bring the enthusiasm and energy, and TAs are the glue that make everything stick. Without any of these roles, everything falls apart! Each person’s unique contribution is such an important part of the bigger picture. I’m keen on leaning into what makes us unique in order to generate a supportive environment for each and every student.”
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