After graduating from UBC, Kaan Yolsever (BIE ’19) continues to explore his passion for economics and data research as a master’s student in statistical sciences at the University of Oxford.
Yolsever, who is originally from Turkey, answers some questions about his BIE experience and his future career plans in this Q&A.
Why did you pursue graduate studies after UBC?
I did an internship at Analysis Group, an economic consulting firm based in Boston, while in the BIE program, and I got to work on a lot of projects involving data sciences. I really enjoyed that and thought it would be a good step in my career. I eventually got hired to work there upon graduation as a research professional in their Montreal office. But I wanted to learn more. I might even do a PhD in economics or statistics, or pursue a career in the technology setting in data sciences.
What was your time at the Analysis Group like?
My role at the Analysis Group was mostly technical, involving coding in Python, and contributing research to the litigation and health care sectors within this consulting firm. I was first introduced to this firm at a career fair at UBC. I really liked the work they were doing and wanted to be a part of it. Being an economics student, it was easy to understand the kind of projects I was a part of at work. Additionally, the concepts and knowledge I learned at the VSE helped create an easier on-boarding process for research professionals in litigation, such as myself.
How do you think studying economics prepares you well for studying statistical sciences?
In the BIE, I was exposed to a lot of econometrics courses, and I really liked the idea of causality. I felt like the way to learn about causality is through statistics. In economics, we were introduced to this idea, along with other predictive techniques in macroeconomics and economic trends. It helped me see how economics functions as a discipline. Studying those topics showed me how economics can be useful and how I can use economics to help the world.
What was your favourite moment in the BIE program?
My favourite moment is actually the final exam week every semester. We got to struggle together in a way, and everyone was actively motivating everyone to do better. It was an amazing learning opportunity, and I got to critically think and analyze work instead of just retaining information thrown at us. Half of us were international students and the other half Canadian students, so it was great to listen to different perspectives and learn and grow together.
