SCHOOL DIRECTOR REPORT

from MEM Insider 2024

ECONOMICS REPORT

Jennifer Jeffrey, PhD

Associate Professor and Director of the School of MEM

Greetings to all,

Our School of Management, Economics, and Mathematics (MEM) is home to almost 1,000 students, studying from amongst six different degree pathways in various areas of management, economics, finance, and analytics. The School of MEM is international, with students and faculty joining us from India and Pakistan, and countries in Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and South America, making it the largest and most diverse at King’s. And as we wrap up another school year, I reflect with pride on the many accomplishments that our students and faculty have achieved this busy year.

On the academic front, our various program areas continue to innovate, with faculty members introducing new courses in subjects as diverse as sustainable finance, Islamic finance, data visualization, and private equity, just to name a few! The Economics program has expanded its honours level offerings in the face of increasing demand for graduate-school pathways, and I have no doubt that the new honours specialization in financial economics will be a popular choice. You can read more about some of our alumni bound for graduate school later in this edition; I’m delighted for their successes and appreciative of the mentoring many colleagues have provided these students along the way.

On the research front, faculty members within the School of MEM continue to innovate, with many turning their attention towards topics of societal importance. For example, Drs. Felipe Rodrigues, Renfang Tian, and Jingjing Xu were awarded a prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant to explore the financial consequences of autism on Canadian families. Dr. Lori Murray was named lead statistician in a major multi-centre research project aimed at predicting workload in emergency rooms. Five of Dr. Amanjot Singh’s research papers were included in the World Health Organization’s research database of impactful studies conducted on the subject of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are but a few of the many examples of faculty members within the School of MEM using their research expertise to drive meaningful change.

Student engagement is one of the things that makes King’s, and the School of MEM, really feel like a community.

And finally, on the student community front, 2023-24 has been an incredibly busy year! The School of MEM is home to many student clubs, including the BMOS Club, King’s Econo-Math Society (KEMS), King’s Capital Markets Club, and the Entrepreneurship Club. Run entirely by student leaders, these clubs have had a host of guest speakers, networking events, career skills development, and other activities aimed at enriching campus life. To everyone who has participated in–and even led–these initiatives, thank you! Student engagement is one of the things that makes King’s, and the School of MEM, really feel like a community.

I wanted to give a special shout-out to those graduating this year. Many of you began your university journey during the pandemic, and persevered through an incredibly uncertain and challenging time. Your grit and determination have led you to this incredible milestone… the graduating class of 2024! I hope to see many of you at convocation ceremonies, and wish you all the best as you embark on the next chapter. Whatever it is, you’re certainly ready for it!

Sincerely,

Jen Jeffrey, MBA, PhD Director, School of Management, Economics, and Mathematics