News

Professor Ivan Medovikov Discusses AI Investment

Friday, August 07, 2026 | By kkoka

Brock Economics Professor Ivan Medovikov was recently featured in RBC Direct Investing’s Inspired Investor, sharing his perspective on how the growth of artificial intelligence is creating investment opportunities beyond technology and semiconductor companies.

The article looks at industries supporting the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure. Dr. Medovikov points to the energy sector as a particularly interesting example: AI and data centres are adding significantly to electricity demand, but broader trends such as electrification and growing pressure on power infrastructure were already increasing demand before the current AI boom.

For Dr. Medovikov, this distinction is important when assessing potential investment opportunities.

Read the full article here: “Not Just Chips: AI Investing Beyond Semiconductors,” in RBC Direct Investing’s Inspired Investor”

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Economics Graduate Liam Henson Begins Pre-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Toronto

Sunday, July 26, 2026 | By kkoka

Brock University graduate Liam Henson has joined the Forward Society (FOS) Lab in the Department of Economics at the University of Toronto as a Pre-Doctoral Fellow.

Liam graduated from Brock with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics, a combined major offered by the Department of Economics and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. He recently completed his Master of Arts in Economics at the University of Toronto.

The FOS Lab partners with governments and community organizations to address social and economic challenges affecting marginalized communities. Its work focuses on turning economic research into practical, evidence-based solutions.

In his new position, Liam will contribute to the lab’s research projects while continuing to develop his skills in applied economics.

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Professor Cornelius Christian Discusses Canada’s Economic Challenges

Saturday, July 25, 2026 | By kkoka

Associate Professor of Economics Dr. Cornelius Christian recently appeared on Forum Daily News to discuss the state of Canada’s economy and the factors contributing to sluggish growth.

During the interview, Dr. Christian identified weak productivity as one of the country’s central economic challenges, pointing to low business investment, limited competition and regulatory barriers. He also discussed inflation, household debt, housing affordability and the challenges facing younger Canadians in the labour market.

Watch the full interview here: How Much Trouble Is Canada’s Economy In?

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MBE Student Emilia Zamfir Represents Brock at Oxford

Friday, July 24, 2026 | By kkoka

Master of Business Economics student Emilia Zamfir recently took her research to the international stage, representing Brock University at the 2026 Map the System global competition at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School.

Emilia was a member of the first Brock team in the University’s history to compete at the global event, held from July 9 to 12. The team presented its project, The Unintended Consequences of Social Media Overuse Among Adolescents: Health, Educational, Economic, Environmental and Policy Implications in Canada.

Hosted by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Map the System brings together students from around the world to investigate the root causes of complex social and environmental issues.

For Emilia, the experience provided an opportunity to share important research with an international audience, connect with students and policy makers from around the world, and gain new perspectives on addressing social challenges.

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Graduate Spotlight: Rudina Abughula

Thursday, July 23, 2026 | By kkoka

The Department of Economics congratulates Rudina Abughula on graduating with a BA (Honours) in Economics with First-Class Standing.

Rudina was an exceptional student whose academic excellence, enthusiasm for economics and commitment to the department distinguished her throughout her undergraduate studies. She also founded the Brock Economics Students’ Association, creating new opportunities for students to connect and helping to strengthen the department’s student community.

Rudina will return to Brock this fall to begin the Master of Business Economics program. We look forward to following her continued success.

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Graduate Spotlight: Alwine Dodoo

Thursday, July 23, 2026 | By kkoka

The Department of Economics congratulates Alwine Dodoo on graduating with a BA (Honours) in Economics with First-Class Standing.

After transferring from Ghana to Canada, Alwine successfully adapted to a new country and educational system. Her curiosity, hard work and resilience contributed to her academic success.

We congratulate Alwine on this achievement and wish her all the best in her next chapter.

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Economics Professor Serves as Judge at Brock-Hosted Canada Cup of Robotics

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | By kkoka

Economics Professor, Dr. Marcel Oestreich, served as a judge at the Canada Cup of Robotics – Niagara 2026, an international youth robotics event hosted by Brock University in partnership with FIRST Robotics Canada. The event brought together thousands of students, mentors, and spectators from more than 30 countries at Brock University from June 14 to 20.

Dr. Oestreich helped evaluate teams’ robot designs and science presentations as students from around the world gathered for the week-long event. The competition brought together young innovators who designed and built robots while developing important skills in problem-solving, innovation, and teamwork.

“As robotics becomes increasingly sophisticated through advances in artificial intelligence and automation, these technologies are reshaping the workplace,” said Dr. Oestreich. “An economics perspective is useful when thinking about how new technologies are designed and adopted including the resources they require, the trade-offs they involve, and their broader implications for society.”

The event provided an exciting opportunity to celebrate the creativity, technical skill, and ambition of students helping to imagine the future of technology.

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Brock Economics Alumnus Promoted to Managing Director at J.P. Morgan

Monday, June 22, 2026 | By kkoka

The Department of Economics is pleased to share that Brock Economics alumnus Alex Koustas has been promoted to Managing Director – Head of APAC Country Risk at J.P. Morgan.

In this role, Alex leads the Country Risk team for the Asia-Pacific region. The team is responsible for country risk management across the region, including macroeconomic and political analysis. It also advises senior management on country and geopolitical developments and supports major transactions and regional strategy decisions.

Alex earned his degree in Economics from Brock University before completing a Master’s degree in Economics at Queen’s University.

Before taking on his current leadership role, Alex served as Co-Head of APAC Country Risk and helped lead the firm’s climate-risk assessment frameworks and policies. Earlier in his career, Alex worked at BMO Capital Markets, where he served as Vice President and Senior Economist.

For the Department, Alex’s success is a point of special pride: he is not only one of our accomplished graduates, but also the son of our longtime colleague Dr. Zisimos Koustas, Professor Emeritus in Economics. We are proud to celebrate Alex’s achievements and to recognize the continued success of Brock Economics alumni.

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Economics grad turns co-op experience into government career

Thursday, June 11, 2026 | By kkoka

By Amanda Bishop

Peter Lartey (MBE ’26) first heard about Brock University when representatives visited his high school in Ghana.

Years later, he decided to pursue graduate studies abroad after completing a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics at the University of Ghana.

That decision was the first step on a path that ended with a walk across the stage on Wednesday, June 10 during Brock’s 119th Convocation.

Lartey chose Brock’s Master of Business Economics program because of its co-op component, which allowed him to study and gain professional experience.

“Economics is basically about how to manage the economy to benefit the citizens or to make sure the citizens are doing well. If you are not able to manage the economy or the available resources and there is scarcity or issues with not being able to satisfy the current people, that means you are mismanaging the resources available,” he says. “I was motivated to go into Economics and use knowledge I gain from learning economic models to be able to give advice on how to manage the economy well.”

Lartey says navigating co-op as an international student posed some logistical challenges, especially while completing a major research paper on the labour impact of immigrants to Canada and Canadians in the periods preceding, including and following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working closely with Graduate Program Director Jean-François Lamarche and Professor Tomson Ogwang in the Department of Economics, Lartey compared wage differences and analyzed data pertaining to age, gender, education and employment sector to track patterns.

He noted, for example, that immigrants were less likely to be able to transition to remote work at the onset of the pandemic, with many working in manual labour fields losing their jobs due to public health restrictions.

All the while, Lartey refined his interview skills and targeted his resume in the hopes of securing a co-op role in government.

His persistence paid off when he secured two work terms with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, where he learned about project management and expand his data analysis skills.

Lartey credits the experience with helping him land his current job as a Forest Research Intern with Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources.

“The role I’m in right now will require my economic knowledge in support of research related to forest carbon,” he says. “I’m helping my supervisors, who are research analysts, with the economic models that are being used to analyze their data.”

Lartey says he is grateful for the encouragement he received from faculty members to persist through challenges and the expert coaching he received from Brock’s

Co-op, Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) team. He believes the support he was given helped him secure the footing he needed to launch his career.

“Growing up, I wanted to be able to give advice on how a policy might work for an economy,” he says. “My goal now is to work in the government sector, targeting a career path of being a policy advisor or a policy analyst.”

Simone Lammers, Manager of Student Talent Coaching and Engagement, says she was impressed by the persistence and strong work ethic Lartey displayed while applying to co-op roles.

“Peter showed resilience as he navigated the competitive nature of the job search process, never losing sight of his goals,” says Lammers. “We are incredibly proud of all that he has achieved and the dedication he has shown in achieving this milestone.”

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MBE Students Present at the Mapping New Knowledges Conference

Monday, April 20, 2026 | By kkoka

Economics MBE students recently presented their research at Brock University’s 21st annual Mapping New Knowledges (MNK) Graduate Student Conference, held on April 8, 2026. This year’s conference brought together over 170 presentations from Master’s and PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting researchers across the University. The MNK conference provides graduate students with a platform to share their work and receive feedback, as well as connect with peers and faculty.

Among those presenting was MBE student Hasnain Khan, whose paper, Food Inflation and Property Crime, explored how rising food prices may influence economic stress and property crime across Canadian regions. In a recent LinkedIn post, Khan noted: “Being able to present my work gave me the chance to share my findings, engage with others, and reflect on how this project can continue to grow. I’m thankful for the feedback and discussions, and I’m excited to take this research further in the future.”

Congratulations to Hasnain and all MBE students who participated in this year’s MNK conference.

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