faculty feature
Q: Where did you go to university?
A: I completed my undergraduate at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Pakistan, and went to the University of Southern California, USA, to do my Masters and PhD in Economics (although I wrote a major part of my dissertation in a cubicle in Dana Porter library!).
Q: What area of study in economics do you specialize in?
A: My main area of interest is international economics but I have also worked on labour market and development issues.
Q: What research are you currently working on?
A: My current research and expertise are in the fields of international and labour economics. I have extensively analysed the link between trade liberalization and firm efficiency, and have investigated the effect of various trade reforms on productivity, particularly in the textile and clothing industries. Those of you who have studied international economics from me would probably know that the textile sector is my favourite example for the illustration of most trade models. I have also examined several labour market topics, including the consequences of rigid labour regulations, their enforcement and other conditions facing individual firms on the likelihood that a firm will offer training to its workers. My future research goals involve continuing to develop my work on trade liberalization, labour market outcomes as well as conducting policy-oriented research in other areas of the broadly defined discipline of development economics.
Q: What classes do you teach here at the university?
A: My teaching portfolio encompasses several courses, including Introductory Microeconomics and Macroeconomics (Econ 101 and Econ 102), Introduction to International Economics (Econ 231), International Finance (Econ 332), and Cost-Benefit Analysis and Project Evaluation (Econ 361). I have also taught a few on-line courses, including introductory economics courses.