ZARA LIAQAT
Q: And how long have you been teaching at uWaterloo?
A: I started teaching at uWaterloo in Winter 2013.
Q: Why economics? What is your favourite thing about it?
A: The equations and the graphs! I love how simple economic theories can help explain the most complex phenomena, and it’s amazing how a straightforward diagram can elucidate a convoluted facet of the economy so brilliantly. When I decided to pursue graduate studies in economics, I sought to examine business cycle fluctuations… and that’s it. But there is a lot more to the subject: economics is perhaps the only discipline which is relevant to all of us because we make economic choices on a daily basis, quite often unknowingly. I always tell my students that the best way to learn economics is to relate the complex economic models and theories to the actual functioning of the economy. As soon as students learn to do that and make it a habit, they begin to enjoy the subject and appreciate how it empowers one to better understand the world around us.
Q: Do you have any special or interesting talents?
A: This sure doesn’t count as a talent but I can watch back-to-back movies and tv-shows all day long, if and whenever I have the time to do so! I am also capable of entertaining a toddler for endless hours, thanks to my one-year old.
Q: What did you want to be "when you grew up?"
A: I always wanted to be a medical doctor when I was a little girl. That changed just before I entered college, and ever since, I wanted to be a teacher. I love to teach! Maybe at some point, I would go back to school and study computer science; there are some amazing app ideas that I want to implement on my own.
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Interview by: Namrata Kooner
VP Academic