Archives for Economics

“We have found that students learn more and perform better when they know more of their fellow students. COVID-19 is making it more challenging to meet each other, so anything we can do to help students develop connections is so worthwhile.”

Dr. Teresa Cyrus

 

Dr. Teresa (Tess) Cyrus is an associate professor in the Department of Economics.  She studies international trade and bilateral trade flows with an emphasis on how culture plays a role in these processes. Her research focuses on understanding the forces that bring people together.  As a professor, she is dedicated to improving introductory economics classes by using active-learning teaching and sharing her passion for how economics influences our choices and way of life.

In a recent virtual interview with CEGE Connection, Dr. Cyrus spoke about her commitment to cultivating a creative environment that fosters engagement and applied learning.

Dr. Teresa Cyrus:

I tell students that economics always becomes a more popular field of study during recessions. I am not trying to make light of the challenges that firms and individuals face during tough times, just acknowledging that these days, it is even more important than usual to understand the forces that influence our jobs and our lives, and to have a framework for understanding what kinds of government intervention in the economy are justified.

I enjoy teaching MBA students because they are on the front lines of the economy. As a tenured professor, I am insulated from market forces, but my students understand the market in a visceral way, as their jobs and livelihoods are literally on the line when the economy goes downhill. I get so much out of seeing how our students interpret the course material and apply it to their own lives. I really learn from their experience.

My research on international trade focuses on the push and pull factors that influence bilateral trade flows. A recent theme has been the cultural links that provide a framework for interactions; the more we know about others, the more we can learn from them and experience the gains from trade.

In a project with one of my colleagues in the Economics Department, we have surveyed our first-year students to try to determine what helps them succeed, and we have found that students learn more and perform better when they know more of their fellow students. COVID-19 is making it more challenging to meet each other, so anything we can do to help students develop connections (like the CEGE Connection blog!) is so worthwhile.

Dr. Teresa Cyrus, Instructor of Business Economics
Associate Professor, Department of Economics

Faculty of Science Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2019.
Dalhousie University Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award, 2015.
Dalhousie University Economics Department Teaching Award, 2004
 

We invite you to listen to Dr. Cyrus’s informative interview on Soundcloud by Sciographies, a radio show and podcast about the people who make science happen, presented by The Faculty of Science and campus-community radio station CKDU.