The 4th Annual Tech Econference was held via Zoom on May 7, 2024 from 9:00 to 11:00.
The yearly celebration of undergraduate work will featured seven presentations of ten minutes in length based on papers submitted during the fall 2023 and winter 2024 terms. Founded by Professor Nazanin Khazra, the conference undergoes changes each year. This year, participants engaged in presentation coaching sessions with Khazra.
This year’s conference featured course work completed for ECO225, ECO399, and ECO499. The final nine papers were selected from 55 unique submissions by Professor Abdollah Farhoodi.
Khazra and Associate Chair of Undergraduate Programs, Professor Robert Gazzale delivered opening remarks and Professor Courtney Ward joined Gazzale on the judging panel.
Scheduled Presenters:
Qianyue (Lisa) Wang on the paper Untangling the Threads of Health, Social Context, and Economic Factors in the Suicide Rate.
Wang is a third-year University College student completing a double major in Statistics and Economics with a focus in data analytics.
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have taken ECO225, which significantly improved my data analysis skills and provided invaluable experience in conducting independent research,” she said. “The continual feedback from the teaching team was vital in this learning process. Through my research, I developed a deeper understanding of economic inequalities and healthcare disparities, which has motivated me to continue my research in these areas. Moving forward, I aim to apply my analytical skills in economics and statistics to contribute to public health research and related fields.”
Mudit Chandna on the paper The Effects of Cyclone Exposure and Adaptation in Global Supply Chains
Chandna is a fourth-year Economics Specialist with a focus in data analytics with St. Michael’s College.
“In ECO499 we were tasked with writing a paper in applied microeconomics with an analytic framework, original quantitative data, and regression analysis,” he said.
“I am grateful to my advisors Professor Gustavo Bobonis, Professor Peter Morrow, and all of my peers for their support through the past year,” he said. “After completing this project, I am considering graduate school in economics specializing in climate econometrics, as well as formal job opportunities in the fields of data analytics, sustainable finance, and risk management.”
Ariza Hossain on the paper Investigating the Correlation Between Unemployment Rates During COVID-19 and Healthcare Infrastructure Disparities Across Indian States.
Hossain is a second-year Victoria College student working toward a double major in Economics and Statistics.
“ECO225 has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding courses that I have taken at UofT,” she state. “This course has significantly stretched my capabilities and led me to produce work that fills me with pride. It has instilled in me a sense of perseverance that was tested numerous times throughout the semester. There were moments when I doubted my ability to succeed as the results did not align with my expectations, and my research findings often contradicted my initial hypotheses. However, I managed to stay determined and continue working through these challenges.”
Hasti Zahed on the paper How Does Streetlighting Impact Night Crime?
Zahed is a third-year Trinity College student pursuing a double major in Economics and International Relations with a Focus in Data Analytics.
“My primary interests reside in the intersection of qualitative and quantitative topics that economic methods allow to explore,” she explained. “The paper submitted for this conference was constructed during ECO225, which developed my ability to formulate a central question, hypothesis, and research approach. The scope of material was invaluable and unrivalled. I have found numerous new technical interests that I’m excited to pursue in my future endeavours as an academic.”
Faiz Fuad on the paper Impact of Temperature Changes on Economic Productivity by Climatic Zone.
Fuad is a second-year student of University College working toward a degree in Economics and Environmental Science.
“I have long been captivated by the nexus between climate and economic dynamics, a passion sparked during my IB Economics course when I first learned about negative externalities,” he explained. “ECO225 has significantly advanced my understanding by allowing me to work directly with real-life data and employ various analytical tools such as OLS, regression trees, machine learning, GIS, and data visualizations. This practical experience has demonstrated the seamless integration of economics with environmental science, challenging the notion that they are disparate fields. My research has shown that economics is linked not only with environmental issues but also with every other discipline.”
Mariya Grynevych on the paper Impact of First Time Buyer’s Relief on Housing Market of Different Property Types in Greater London Area.
Grynevych is a second year Trinity College student studying Economics with a focus on Data Analytics and Public Policy. Regretfully, Grynevych was unable to present during the conference.
“ECO225 has quickly become my favorite course so far,” she said. “Professor Khazra’s innovative teaching approach enabled me to apply new economic knowledge and coding skills in real-time to my project, which focused on analyzing the effects of tax relief for first-time buyers on the housing market. I developed a passion for my topic and for applied research where I combine all my interests. Working with big data felt like being a detective unraveling a captivating story, piece by piece. As I progress through my studies, my ambition is to pursue a career as a Data Analyst post-graduation. Inspired by my experience in ECO225, I am also considering pursuing a Master’s and PhD in Economics.”
Joyce Lin on the paper How Proximity to a University Affects Housing Affordability for Students in New York.
Lin is a third-year Woodsworth College student majoring in Economics with a focus on Data Analytics and minoring in Statistics and East Asian studies.
“In ECO225 I had the opportunity to research and apply a variety of methods and coding libraries that I had learned in that course, as well as other courses like ECO220, ECO375, and CSC108, to write a complete research paper on the pertinent topic of house prices in relation to university proximity,” Lin said. “While I had already entered the University of Toronto with the intent to pursue economics and econometrics, the experience of writing my research paper has undoubtedly strengthened my passion for this field. This is because, beyond the econometric methods I learned, the experience of writing this research paper has taught me the potential impact that economics can have on real-world dilemmas.”
Ruhani Walia on the paper Job Preservation Dynamics: A Comprehensive Study of Payment Protection Program Loan Efficacy.
Walia is a fourth-year Economics major with a focus on data analytics at Victoria College.
“My passion lies in leveraging economics and technology to improve living standards, especially in emerging nations. My skills in Python, Stata, R, and big data tools have fueled my research endeavours,” she said. “My journey in applied research began at the Toronto Experimental Economics Lab after my first year, where I led a behavioural experiment as a Laidlaw Scholar under the supervision of Professor Gazzale. Currently, I’m exploring the effects of generative AI on employment and co-authoring a paper on potential policy impacts for the Institute for Research on Public Policy.”
Nina Uzunovic on the paper Regional Disparities in Chinese Outward FDI Average Monetary Project Values.
Uzunovic is a third year Economics with a focus on data analytics and Public Policy student at Trinity College. She also won the 2023 Smith Family Scholarship in Economic Policy.
“I am most interested in monetary economics and hoping to pursue a career in central banking or finance. ECO225 helped me get a strong grasp on the research process in economics and improved my coding skills,” she said. Regretfully, Uzunovic was unable to present during the conference.
Judging Panel
Awards
Return to the Department of Economics website.
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