As the academic year comes to a close and our community collects, once more, on the UBC campus to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2024, we at the Vancouver School of Economics wish to acknowledge and congratulate the numerous award recipients on their incredible service and performance.
Matthew Kielar
W. Erwin Diewert Prize in Applied Economics
W. Erwin Diewert Prize in Applied EconomicsMay 23, 2024
Congratulations to Matthew Kielar for winning the 2024 W. Erwin Diewert Prize in Applied Economics!
From Matthew:
“Full-time economics student, part-time armchair strategist; My paper explores the efficacy of aerial warfare strategies in reducing levels of terrorist and insurgent violence during Operation Inherent Resolve, the US-led campaign to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. In particular, I study the effects of different targeting approaches by assessing the impact of airstrikes conducted against different types of military and infrastructure targets.
I chose to write my thesis on air power and counterterrorism because it merged my personal interests in defence and international affairs with the analytical tools offered by economics. Air power seems like an unconventional topic for an economics thesis, but in a changing strategic environment, it’s a relevant issue that poses some significant implications for policy and strategy, which I was interested to explore from an economics angle.
I’m honoured to receive this award and I wish to thank professor Jonathan Graves for his useful input and guidance, without which this thesis wouldn’t have been possible.“
Jane Platt
Joseph A. Crumb Prize – Best graduating essay in the Honours Program in Economics.
May 23, 2024
Congratulations to Jane Platt for winning the 2024 Joseph A. Crumb prize!
The Joseph A. Crumb Prize is awarded to the student submitting the best graduating essay in the Honours Program in Economics.
From Jane:
“I am honoured to receive this award. I am extremely grateful for the help of professors Munir Squires and Nicole Fortin, who guided me through the process of writing my first large-scale research paper, as well as my amazing classmates for supporting me throughout the entire duration of the program.
My paper focuses on the impacts of abortion restrictions on minors, a group at a particularly high risk for negative consequences associated with childbirth. As the United States tightens its grip on women’s reproductive rights, it is important to understand how these policies will impact women of different ages and from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Specifically, I study parental involvement laws, which prohibit physicians from performing abortions on minors without notifying or obtaining consent from legal guardians. My research found that parental involvement laws lead to higher teen birth rates and higher maternal morbidity rates among 17-year-olds, particularly for lower-income and Black women.
This award inspires me to continue working in policy and gender economics, two fields of study I am passionate about. I hope to continue contributing to the literature after graduation next year through graduate studies. “
Her research, titled, “US Parental Involvement Laws: The Impacts in Access to Abortion on Teen Health,” is available on her Honours Poster profile.
Annabella Stoll-Dansereau
Jamieson-Rosenbluth Prize in Economics
May 23, 2024
Congratulations to Annabella Stoll-Dansereau for winning the 2024 Jamieson-Rosenbluth Prize in Economics!
The prize is awarded on the recommendation of the Department of Economics to recognize an outstanding essay reporting on an empirical investigation in the field of Industrial Relations or in another branch of economics.
About Annabella:
Annabella’s two passions—adventuring in nature and economics—came together for her forest fire-related thesis. During her time as a research assistant at Berkeley this past summer, she frequently encountered the remnants of forests from wildfire destruction on her mountainous adventures. This growing and devastating issue for Californian residents and personal experiences inspired her to explore economic questions related to wildfires and climate change. She discovered an interesting related policy in California (with data!) which called for a one-year freeze on insurance non-renewals in wildfire-affected zones to protect consumers, which became the focus of her research. Annabella is excited to continue specializing in economics, with aspirations of pursuing a PhD in Industrial Organization (IO). The first step on her journey is learning from the empirical IO economist Matt Backus as a pre-doc at Berkeley from 2024 to 2026. With the academic track classes in BIE, support from the economic honours program, and master classes she has taken, Annabella feels that UBC has provided the perfect undergraduate education- providing the challenge she needed while also making her feel safe and supported. She is sad (and a bit scared) to leave her second home but feels prepared and ready for the next chapter of her life.
Read more about Annabella’s research, titled “Moratorium Shield: California Non-Renewal and FAIR Plan Responses”, on her Honours Poster Profile!
Jason Tse, BA’92
2023-2024 UBC’s Alumni Builder Award for Arts
April 18, 2024
Congratulations to Jason Tse (BA ’92) for receiving UBC’s 2023–24 Alumni Builder Award for Arts!
Jason is a successful aviation, technology, and economic development professional. Whether serving on alumni UBC’s Advisory Council, mentoring arts and economics students, championing hiring opportunities for interns and new grads, or volunteering for community work, he is an inspiring UBC alumni ambassador.
Read more about Jason’s contributions to UBC’s Alumni community
Dr. M. Emrul Hasan
2024 Just Deserts Award
March 26, 2024
Dr. Hasan is the first recorded recipient of the Just Deserts award coming from the VSE, and was nominated by several student organizations, including the Vancouver School of Economics Undergraduate Society (VSEUS).
From Dr. Hasan:
“I am extremely proud and honoured by the recognition and nomination by our student bodies (VSEUS, UBCBSA, UBC ESA, UBC Cricket Club, etc.) that I have worked for and served over the last several years after joining VSE as a Lecturer. I hope to continue to do this to the best of my capacity.”
