Kelley Business Economics & Public Policy

JLLC Students Learn How BEPP Can Change Their Life and Career Trajectory

Posted on September 6, 2024 by milleabi

The Jellison Living Learning Center (JLLC) is a Kelley Living Center housed in the McNutt dormitory that’s open to first-year students. The goal is for these students to have access to an additional set of experiences that will promote their networking and professional development interactions. Often BEPP faculty will come to McNutt for faculty panels, career coaching workshops, and coffee chats. These events, which have been well received, provide these first-year students the chance to ask questions about courses, clubs, and BEPP, in general, as well as the chance to connect with faculty outside of a formal classroom setting. While the larger events tend to attract 100+ students, the more intimate coffee chats are limited to just four students. These conversations provide students the opportunity to ask whatever is on their minds.

“I’ve had students ask me what brought me to Kelley. Others have asked what grad school is like,” says Andrew Butters, Associate Professor in BEPP. “Some have inquired about my experience working at the Federal Reserve of Chicago. Some want to know about the nuts & bolts of what it would mean in terms of coursework to be a business analytics co-major or an economics consulting major.”

These events help students determine if the types of course offerings that BEPP offers would be a good fit for them.

“There’s been a really nice breadth of faculty who participate in the coffee chats,” says Butters.

During the faculty panels, which they usually have at the start of each semester, various departments are well represented (e.g., with professors from the management, marketing, finance departments, etc.). The panel moderator asks the faculty to share any sage advice. Primarily, however, they leave the floor open for students to ask whatever questions they like.

“They ask everything from, ‘What should I be reading in my spare time?’ to ‘How should I be setting up my class schedule to ensure I get into the workshop I want during my sophomore or junior year?’” says Butters.

To sign up for a coffee chat, students can go to the JLLC office and fill out a Google sheet. Students can select the professor, time slot, location, and topic.

This past spring, Kerem Cakirer, Senior Lecturer in BEPP, also organized a workshop with the JLLC in which he created a game theory night.

“I presented game theory and showed how game theory is relevant with business. I then invited BEPP Club executives to talk about what BEPP is doing and how BEPP exists in the business school,” says Cakirer. “This is why they want to use the JLLC to help communicate with freshman everything that BEPP has to offer and how it’s integrated within the Business School Community.”

Although the JLLC has been around for quite some time, many events got put on hold during the pandemic. Now the JLLC is experiencing a revitalization, which is really exciting.

“When students think of consulting, they think about management consulting, but economic consulting is out there as well,” says Cakirer.

Should students decide to pursue a BEPP major, G202 is the “gateway course” they will take, typically during their first year or early in their second year.

“That, alone, is the entry point to knowing what BEPP is and what opportunities could lay ahead as a junior and senior,” says Butters. “These are nice opportunities for students to get exposure to what a BEPP major can do for them.”

BEPP Faculty in the News & Publications

Posted on September 6, 2024 by milleabi

Each year our faculty shine in various media outlets. They converse on an array of topics in Economics. Read more about how they got involved this year below.
BEPP professor Boyoung Seo was interviewed on April 15th on Marijuana tax revenues. She stated that the “revenues in states like Colorado and Washington have fallen short of initial projections due to a combination of high taxation rates, competition from the black market, and shifts in consumer behavior. Despite legalization aimed at boosting state revenues, the actual income has been lower than expected, suggesting a need for more balanced tax policies and regulatory frameworks to support a sustainable cannabis market.”

Learning About Luxury: Students Enjoy Unique & Popular Course About Luxury Brands in France

Posted on October 12, 2023 by nlrockey

In a global business environment, it’s important that students have some understanding of different cultures. Therefore, the Kelley School wants to send the maximum number of their students abroad. Of course, not all students can spend a semester or year overseas due to financial or curriculum constraints.

Thus, for more than a decade the Kelley School has been offering an 8-week course that takes place in Bloomington but culminates in spending ten days abroad. When Professor Ellie Mafi-Kreft was asked to teach a course that would take students to France, she was told she could pick the topic of the course. She knew that in G202, they discuss a case on the diamond industry and another on the garment industry.

Students showing off their best can-can moves outside of the Moulin Rouge in Paris, France.

“There’s always a lot of interest in those two cases so I thought, ‘A lot of people outside the U.S. associate France with the luxury industry. I’ll bet students would like a class about that,’” says Mafi-Kreft. Hence, G272: Luxury Brands in France was born.

Every semester students show an overwhelming interest in the case-based discussion class. According to the International Office, it’s the most competitive international program in the Kelley School. With room for just 24 students, the international office reviews applications and makes their selections.

“I have the privilege of teaching 24 students who either have a passion for the luxury industry or are very curious about it,” says Mafi-Kreft. “It’s rare to have such a captive audience.”

During the eight weeks in Bloomington, they discuss both the challenges and the opportunities the fashion industry faces. Each case has a topic. One day of the week the class debriefs the case. Another day students choose a current article that pertains to the topic that’s being discussed. Discussions are all student-lead.

Professor Ellie Mafi-Kreft is seated center in a group photo with students outside of the Pommery Champagne House where students learned how the iconic sparkling wine is made.

“The fact that I have such curious and passionate students makes it possible to count on them,” says Mafi-Kreft. “They’re there to learn.”

Their ten days in France is a whirlwind as they hit the ground running with workshops on Paris fashion shows and the fragrance industry. They also meet with a jewelry craftsman and an expert who has his own consulting group that has helped luxury brands expand overseas. In addition, they talk to an art historian who discusses the art of jewelry as well as an oenologist, which supplements a case they do in Bloomington about the champagne industry.

The Kelley School partners with IÉSEG School of Management in Paris that helps facilitate the learning.

Students watch an artisan craftsmen during their study abroad trip to France.

“It’s incredible what the students are exposed to in such a short amount of time,” says Mafi-Kreft.

They squeeze in cultural trips to Versailles so students can take in the opulence. They also travel to the Paris opera and take a French cooking class. In their free time, students visit the Eiffel Tower and the Moulin Rouge.

“Paris, by itself, is a museum,” says Mafi-Kreft.

One of the biggest surprises Mafi-Kreft saw following this trip was a shift in how students viewed their career paths. After hearing people enthusiastically share details about their careers, the resounding response from students was, “I must do something I’m passionate about!”

“That’s not the sentiment that prevails in the business world,” says Mafi-Kreft. “Usually it’s, ‘Tell me how I can make money,’ but at the end of that week in Paris, after meeting a craftsman, a fashion show manager, a consultant, and all of these people who absolutely love their careers, the students want to replicate that.”

Students visit the Ieseg School of management in Lille, France.

Visannya Saluja says that G272 was one of her favorite classes because it was so engaging and intellectually stimulating.

“The course readings and discussions were fascinating, and Professor Ellie, having grown up in France, was so passionate about the subject matter,” says Saluja. “The trip was so well organized and was my most memorable and cherished experience at the Kelley School of Business.”

Her favorite part was traveling to Reims, France, to visit the Pommery Champagne House where they got to see firsthand how the bubbly is made.

“It was fascinating to see the contrast between the fast-paced life in Paris and laid-back countryside life in Reims,” she says. “As an international student, studying abroad has always been an exciting prospect for me. I wish we had more opportunities in Kelley for short-term study abroad programs like G272!”

Ph.D. Placement: Yaying Zhou

Posted on September 14, 2023 by nlrockey

Yaying Zhou grew up in China and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Tongji University and her Master’s degree in Economics from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Before joining BEPP, she visited Copenhagen Business School as an exchange student. After receiving her Ph.D. at Kelley, she joined the University of Queensland as a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) of Economics.

Yaying Zhou wearing a blue blazer and standing outside, smiling in the sunshine.

Ph.D. Graduate Yaying Zhou

“I’m passionate about empirical research because I enjoy uncovering hidden truths from the data,” says Zhou, who chose to study the healthcare market for its potential to improve the well-being of individuals and communities. One of the reasons Zhou is excited about her new role as a professor at the University of Queensland is the wealth of health data available in Australia. With access to this data, she hopes to conduct research that can generate insights into healthcare systems and policies that can be applied globally.

“I’m excited to transition from a student to a professor, sharing my knowledge and experiences with my future students and inspiring them to pursue their own passions in the field of economics,” she says. “Of course, I’ll never let go of any opportunity to hug a koala!”

Zhou appreciates her six years of rigorous training at BEPP where she received great attention, guidance, and feedback, which nourished her interests in health economics and helped her quickly grow as a researcher. Sparked by the cool and elegant professors in her field, Zhou wishes to keep working on projects that help improve the accessibility and affordability of healthcare. By shedding light on these important topics, Zhou hopes to contribute to developing evidence-based healthcare policies that can improve the quality of life.

Zhou is also grateful for her parents’ constant support.

“Being honest and diligent themselves, they have always encouraged me to follow my heart and try my best,” she says. “This attitude has helped me derive more utility from accomplishing goals and being in the moment rather than just finishing tasks.”

Having someone who shares her passion for research has also been a source of great motivation. Zhou is thankful to have her partner, a fellow Ph.D. student in Finance at Kelley, by her side throughout her Ph.D. studies. They have been able to provide each other with invaluable emotional and academic support throughout their time at IU.

When not working, Zhou enjoys indulging in her hobbies. Dancing is one of her favorite pastimes as it provides her with a creative outlet that’s separate from her academic work. She also loves watching movies, particularly those that take her on a journey through different cultures and perspectives.

“I’ve also spent a lot of time building a virtual house,” says Zhou. “It’s my dream to decorate a real house of my own, have a dog, and travel around the world with my family.”

As a matter of fact, Zhou received her Ph.D. offer from BEPP the night after she saw aurora in Sweden. She will probably visit the Great Barrier Reef as a starting point and Africa someday in the future.

“The pandemic was a challenging time for everyone, but I’m grateful for the sense of community that I’ve felt within the BEPP program,” she says. “I enjoyed participating in the BEPP trivia game, which brought the students and faculty together for some friendly competition. I also enjoyed playing soccer with my peers. It was a fun way to stay active and social.”

Faculty Spotlight: Michael Rauh

Posted on July 10, 2023 by nlrockey

Michael Rauh will never forget when he first arrived on campus in 2005 to join the BEPP faculty.

“The faculty had decided to protest en masse against the IU President [at the time]. Hundreds of professors met in the IU Auditorium to speak out against him,” says Rauh. “While this was going on, a tornado passed over the town, so everyone had to congregate in the lobby and watch weather maps on laptops. That was a vivid memory!”

That wild experience didn’t serve to mar his time at IU, however.

“What I love about IU is the love that so many people have for the institution, both current students and faculty and alumni,” he says. “There is a feeling that this is a special place where people make lifelong memories. It makes you feel like you are part of something.”

Rauh was a professor of economics in England from 1997-2003, first in London and then in Liverpool. Following that, he taught at the University of North Dakota from 2003-2005. Through the years, he has taught at all levels, from undergrad to Ph.D. Currently, he teaches only MBAs, both in person and online.

His research focuses on incentives in organizations. For example, he published a paper at Management Science, which explains why the primary form of motivation in markets is financial incentives, whereas the primary form of motivation in firms is culture.

Professional photo of Michael Rauh in a black suit jacket and wearing glasses.

Professor Michael Rauh

“Since economic activity can be carried out in either institution, I provide conditions under which one institution should be preferred over the other,” says Rauh, who likes studying and teaching economics because it sheds light on the way the world really works, sometimes in surprising ways.

“Economists have a unique perspective, and students find it an eye-opening experience to learn to think like an economist,” says Rauh.

As much as he relishes his career, he admits that being an economist is tough—especially when submitting research papers to academic journals. The critical reviews and high rejection rates are particularly hard for young economists. Nevertheless, he recognizes that that’s part of life, and as the phrase goes, life is good.

“Most people don’t know that I play classical guitar,” says Rauh. “I don’t play especially well, which is why I hide this fact.”

In addition to music, Rauh finds solace in exercise, travel, and quality time spent with family. This past spring, he once again ran the Indy Mini Marathon, and in July, he and his family biked the Hebridean Way, a remote cycling route spanning nearly 200 miles across ten islands. Throughout the ride, which covers National Route 780, cyclists get to feast their eyes on the beautiful Atlantic coastline while also getting in a good workout as the route has some rugged hills.

Bloomington provides plenty of tranquility as well.

“The perfect Saturday is when I get up early, watch the sun rise as I do my long run, and then afterwards hop in the car with the family for a road trip somewhere new,” he says.

New Faculty: Jennifer Rice

Posted on June 26, 2023 by nlrockey

Raised on a farm and a self-proclaimed “farm kid,” Jennifer Rice, the youngest of eight children, showed pigs and cows in 4-H in North Manchester, Indiana. She received her undergraduate degree from Manchester College where she played golf and basketball.

“I played in a basketball tournament in Beijing, China, on an Indiana high-school all-star team,” says Rice.

Following graduation, she attended Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan for M.A. Applied Economics. After receiving her Ph.D. in Economics from Indiana University, for ten years she was employed by the Economics Department at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. She also worked in the Economics Department at Butler University in Indianapolis for seven years.

“My dissertation focus was on Health Economics—specifically, physician prescribing behavior and managed care,” says Rice, whose areas of Interest include Health Economics, Sports Economics, Applied Econometrics, and Applied Microeconomics.

After receiving her doctorate degree from IU, she dreamed of one day returning to campus as a faculty member, and now her dream has come true. This fall Rice joins BEPP’s faculty where she will teach Managerial Economics for both undergrad and MBA students, Econometrics, and Capstone in Economic Consulting.

“I was drawn to a career at IU due to my amazing experience here as a Ph.D. student, but the reputation of BEPP and BEPP faculty was another factor,” says Rice. “Not to mention the campus is beautiful. I also adore the academic feel of campus.”

She and her husband, Brian Shield, have two very large dogs named Butch and Sophie. The couple likes to vacation in Hilton Head Island. Rice’s favorite food is rivels, which are small lumps of egg dough that are dropped into hot soup like tiny dumplings.

Two dogs resting on the floor, one black and the other white and black.

In her free time, Rice likes gardening, golfing, camping, and assembling jigsaw puzzles. If she’s looking to chill, chances are she’ll pop in the classic movie Hoosiers, starring Gene Hackman or let off some steam on the basketball court or the putting green.

While at IU, she hopes to help students realize their academic and professional potential.

“I want to have a positive impact on students and help them understand the importance of economics in their lives, both academically and professionally,” says Rice.

Faculty Spotlight: Andrew Butters

Posted on May 1, 2023 by nlrockey

Before beginning graduate school, Andrew Butters worked as an Associate Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

“I feel fortunate to have gotten that opportunity,” says Butters, who worked on the inflation and international memos for the Federal Open Market Committee meetings. He also helped create the National Financial Conditions Index.

“I got to see firsthand what being a research economist was all about,” he says. Given that his first month on the job was at the outset of the financial crisis (i.e., the Lehman Brothers collapse) that preceded the Great Recession, Butters got to work there when economic policy was at the forefront of the national conversation.

After graduating from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Butters joined the BEPP department in the summer of 2015.

“I remember vividly receiving the call from then department chair, John Maxwell, that the department was extending me an offer,” says Butter. “Unbeknownst to anyone here at the time, it also happened to be my birthday.”

At IU, Butters has taught both econometrics courses in the Business Analytics co-major (G350 and G492). He also teaches the first half of the Ph.D. econometrics sequence.

“As someone who conducts empirical research in economics, these courses have been a real treat to teach because there is so much overlap,” says Butters.

Photograph of a man wearing a black business suit and a lavender-colored tie. He is smiling.

Assistant Professor Andrew Butters

On the research side of things, he’s primarily worked on issues that examine how firms and policymakers measure and make decisions in the face of fluctuations in business conditions, like demand. This has included examining how fluctuations in demand can impact our measures of productivity or dictate the degree of how much prices should fluctuate.

In the spring of 2022, Butters had a paper published in American Economic Review that examines how large national retailers like grocery chains respond to local changes in cost as it relates to their pricing decisions.

“This publication felt like hitting a home run in baseball,” says Butters. “What makes it even sweeter is that it was a joint effort with my colleagues in the department, Boyoung Seo and Daniel W. Sacks. So, I guess it was more like hitting a home run with the bases loaded!”

What he loves about working in the field of economics is how often the research that’s being done has immediate implications for businesses, households or policy.

“Doing research in a field that is so often contributing to policy debates and helping households and businesses is very rewarding,” he says.

Butters’ wife, Becca, works in the Communication, Professional & Computer Skills department teaching Business Presentations (C104). The couple has two children, Alden (4) and Ava (2), and a very patient dog, Darwin.

Butters enjoys golfing and cooking, and he’s always up for watching a basketball game at Assembly Hall. One reason hoops are near and dear to his heart is because he played on a collegiate national championship basketball team while he was at the London School of Economics during his junior year abroad.

“It was the British lower division championship, but who’s keeping track?” says Butters.

Down the road when he has additional free time, Butters would like to learn how to sail. For now, he’s just happy to be spending time at home as his family recently moved into a house with a pool.

“We want to enjoy as much time outside as we can,” he says.

He calls Indiana University a wonderful place to work because of the sense of community as well as the supportive environment to grow as a researcher and teacher.

“It also doesn’t hurt that it’s a beautiful campus with a vibrant culture, and some iconic venues to watch a sporting event,” he says.

Alumni Spotlight: Shirin S. Baradaran

Posted on April 13, 2023 by nlrockey

Shirin S. Baradaran graduated from IU in 2013, just after the Global Financial Crisis.

“That was a time of change and a time of people grappling with really big questions about our financial structure,” says Baradaran. “Now our financial markets are in turmoil again so everyone is once again asking, ‘How can we improve this balance between business interests and protecting investors?’ It’s an interesting time.”

Baradaran currently acts as legal counsel for Fidelity Investments, with her area of focus being asset management and, specifically, registered investment funds.

Shirin Baradaran, a woman with dark hair and sunglasses, wearing a black sleeveless dress outside in a garden.

Shirin Baradaran, BEPP Alumni

“Functionally, what that means is that I help clients with their business problems and help them develop and execute their strategies in a way that complies with applicable laws,” says Baradaran. The industry is highly regulated, which means businesses in this industry have to comply with a long list of statutes and rules.

“There are a large number of laws enacted by different regulatory bodies that are sometimes contradictory and always painfully complex,” Baradaran says. “My job is helping the business understand its obligations, develop strategies for complying and meeting those obligations, effectively communicating those strategies to internal and external stakeholders, and then basically helping to keep the lights on!”

Being a corporate lawyer is not easy work. You’re expected to master so many different learning curves quickly, have a firm grasp of business concepts, and be an incredibly strong critical thinker while also demonstrating creativity, collaboration and technical perfection.

“That’s a tall order for anyone,” says Baradaran. “But my background in BEPP—in particular, the technical skills it taught me, the critical thinking, economic and business concepts, and teamwork—prepared me well for that challenge.”

She admits to being constantly surprised by how much public policy impacts her day-to-day job.

“I always thought I’d mostly need my economic skills, but actually it’s the big picture of public policy—the understanding what governments do and why—that has been a really important skill,” says Baradaran.

During her senior year at IU, Baradaran and her team won a business case competition in which the grand prize was scoring courtside seats to the men’s IU basketball game on Senior Night.

“My boyfriend [now husband] was student teaching in northern Indiana and drove back to campus through a snowstorm to go to that game with me because that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” she says.

Baradaran met her husband, Anthony Zeese, freshmen year through debate, and they became debate partners.

“Those have been skills that have carried through in our marriage!” she says. Living in New England, they love to explore all the great beaches and breweries. The couple have a Golden Retriever puppy named Lucy despite Anthony lobbying to name her Hoosier.

Baradaran, an avid reader, also serves as an elected official in her town of Dedham, Massachusetts, as she is the chair of the town’s board of library trustees tasked with overseeing the library’s operations.

“I enjoy representing different stakeholders and dealing with a lot of really important issues,” says Baradaran, who just finished reading Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America. “Libraries are in the news all the time right now related to banning books and representation. We have to make sure we’re still relevant in our community, and I get to help the organization navigate some of those challenges.”

One of Baradaran’s IU professors once told her, “You never want to be the smartest person in the room.” For the longest time, she didn’t understand that, but she’s come to realize what he meant.

“When you’re not the smartest person in the room, then that’s an opportunity to grow, learn and be challenged,” she says. She has also recognized what a privilege it is to learn when someone is willing to teach you.

“We get busy, learning is hard, and maybe we’d rather not do it, but if someone is willing to teach you something, it’s smart to take advantage when that gift is given.”

New Faculty: Jia Xiang

Posted on March 8, 2023 by nlrockey

You never know how life will turn out. Just ask Jia Xiang, who once majored in film directing.

“I wrote my script and produced my own little movie!” says Xiang, who grew up in Sichuan Province, China, an area famous for its spicy food and pandas.

Midway through her studies, however, she pivoted and decided to take her career in a totally different direction—changing her major to Economics. After graduating from Peking University in Beijing, China, she attended graduate school for Economics in China, then traveled to the United States to complete her Ph.D. degree from the Department of Economics at Penn State University in Pennsylvania. Her dissertation focused on Empirical Industrial Organization and health economics.

Her short-term goals is to establish more academic collaboration relationships and enrich her research portfolio. Long-term, her goal at IU is to become a well-known expert in analyzing healthcare issues.

Jia Xiang, a woman with dark hair and dark framed classes, wearing a pale blue button-up blouse and a black jacket.

Jia Xiang, Assistant Professor

Xiang is thrilled to be joining the Indiana University staff where she will teach G492: Predictive Analytics for Business Strategy.

“IU is home to a fantastic set of economists across the business school, Department of Economics, SPEA, and other schools,” says Xiang. “Within my own department, there are a nice blend of theorists and empirical economists, and I benefit tremendously both from colleagues who share the same research interests and this mix.”

Through the years, Xiang has had some excellent teachers, but she says she’s learned the most not from a person but from an experience—particularly the act of failing.

“I have learned from various failures, knowing the right direction and how to do better next time,” she says.

Xiang, her husband Ray, and their son, Ian, have quickly fallen in love with Bloomington’s gorgeous campus.

“We are really enjoying life here!” she says.

In her free time, Xiang likes to try cooking dishes from other countries. Some favorites include chicken karahi, beef rawon, kottbullar, and cochinita pibil.

“My family is so dedicated to food that we have been known to travel far just for a beloved restaurant!” she says.

Course Spotlight: Digital Economics for Business

Posted on February 16, 2023 by nlrockey

As more of the economy goes digital, the BEPP department has a brand-new course called Digital Economics for Business that is perfect for students who are interested in getting a better understanding of the key economic forces at play. The course, which will be rolled out in the spring of 2023, will cover key economic concepts, business models & strategies in the context of economics, and actual business applications. Students will examine the markets where digitization is occurring and discuss what that means in terms of how firms compete. Plus, they will dissect what the market structure looks like.

The course, which will count as an elective for the business analytics co-major, will be taught by BEPP Chair Jeff Prince. He’ll start off the semester by examining specific industries.

“I want them to have the skills to be able to look at an industry’s key features, see where digitalization plays a role, and identify the key economics that they need to be thinking about for this industry,” says Prince.

For example, if they are the decisionmaker, they might ask, “What should I be thinking about when it comes to pricing strategies or rolling out new products?’” If, however, they are a buyer or customer, they may ask, “What should I be anticipating? Where might I expect the industry to be moving? Should I expect different pricing strategies over time as the industry evolves?”

Jeff Prince, standing in front of a large screen, speaking to a classroom of students

Jeff Prince, Professor and Chair, Business Economics and Public Policy

“It’s really just being able to bring that critical eye to different business situations and identify the relevant economics of what it means in terms of making good decisions,” says Prince. “Because digital economics is an ongoing process, we’ll talk about where we see things emerging and where we see transformation in progress.”

The course will also talk about regulations as regulating the big digital platforms has been a hot-button topic. That certainly provides a lot of interesting conversations about the economics, in and of itself, but Prince plans to reach beyond that.

“There will be ongoing conversations about data privacy laws that’s going to go well beyond Google and Amazon,” he says. “Some people want to act like digital markets are this unicorn thing, but it’s not necessarily new.”

The key economic forces that drive optimal decision making will change. It’s not that they are new economic forces; it’s that they are playing a more prominent role and understanding of how that change is taking place and what that means in terms of best practices. This applied economics course is designed to help students navigate those things.

“It’s trying to help students bridge the abstract notions of things like having zero marginal costs, switching costs, surge costs, lock-in standardization,” says Prince. “And then thinking about how that applies to actual managerial decisions they might have to make or how it applies in markets they might have touch points with.”

Teaching this course is in Prince’s wheelhouse. Not only does much of his research touch on these topics but he also recently took a year-long sabbatical to work at the Federal Communications Commission.

“Telecommunications plays a central role in all of this so I have a good combination of skills and experience to offer this course,” says Prince.

And the timing couldn’t be better as digital economics is only going to become more prominent across industries.

“I believe that we will be one of the early undergrad programs to offer a program like this, but I think it’s the kind of thing that we’ll see more of over time,” says Prince, who anticipates that there will be demand on both sides—both students who will want this content as well as employers who will want students to understand these concepts.

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