Instructor

We study probability theory, distributions, central tendency, correlation, estimation and hypothesis testing, inference testing, linear regression, and decision analysis. Redesigned assignments to incorporate AI-use disclosure — students were encouraged to use a dedicated data-analysis tool, share chat transcripts, and take responsibility for any AI-generated answers submitted.

We learn JEL codes, circular flow diagram, fundamental macroeconomic concerns and indicators, the goods, money, and labor markets of a modern economy, applications to fiscal and monetary policies, and current US & global economic debates.

We start with opportunity costs. Students readily connect to the idea of tradeoffs in their own lives, whether it is balancing study time with part-time jobs or choosing to spend between pizza from their favorite Marco's Pizza and saving it up for a visit to Zion National Park. We continue to study laws of demand and supply, elasticity, taxes and consumer welfare, and end the course with a brief introduction to consumer behavior and production theory.

We had an unusual cohort: undergraduates, masters, and a lawyer in his late sixties exploring courses beyond his discipline. We begin with in-depth discussion on consumer and production theory, go over theory of markets and wrap up with resource allocation and general equilibrium models. In the final presentations, the students reflected upon how microeconomics played out in their own lives — one student traced how cost and production theory inspired her jewelry-making business; another discussed her COVID-era cupcake startup, where she made decisions about individual consumption patterns; a returning professional reasoned through the marginal benefits of higher education after a decade in the workforce.

Provided one-to-one tutoring support in quantitative economics, coding (Stata, R), and fundamentals across all classes. Sessions were available in-person or online.

My first teaching experience, and that too in an online setting during Covid-19. We cover fundamental concepts of sets, matrices, functions, optimization problems and linear programming.

We examine what development means beyond GDP. Topics include land reforms, agricultural markets, rural credit and microfinance, poverty measurement, and the role of gender in development. Drawing on cases, we ask why some regions develop faster than others and what policies have and haven't worked.