Dr. Sam Bird, Dr. Sandra Goff, Dr. Amanda Lindsay, and Dr. Austin Smith joined the faculty in the economics department this fall.

A recent article in The Bates Student writes:

Coming from Miami University in Ohio, Smith looks forward to the small community at Bates and getting to know students in elements beyond the classroom, such as sports games. Smith’s goal is to get students excited about econometrics through providing hands-on opportunities to work with data and to see it in practice. “No more scaries” as he puts it, when it comes to students’ comfortability with this topic.

Bird, from Luther College in Iowa, wants to “introduce students to principal courses where they can learn tools that professional economists use in their field.” Bird’s values in economics are complemented by the support he receives from the economic department as he is able to grow and learn from colleges. Additionally, he is especially excited about teaching an economics thesis seminar this year. Outside of the classroom, Bird is looking forward to exploring Maine and discovering cool spots around.  

“I chose Bates because it is a fantastic school where people value research,” said Lindsay, who also comes from Luther College in Iowa. The environmental economist says she has a lot of optimism when teaching at Bates, as she can expand her dreams while impacting students as well. In her office, she has a large white board filled with current projects, ideas and future goals- all which see views as seeds that she hopes to grow at Bates. 

Goff, from Skidmore College in New York, aims to “better infuse community-engaged learning through her classes by  providing students with new opportunities to explore the world of economics beyond the classroom.” After attending Colby College as a first generation student, Goff went on what she defines as an untraditional path and took more classes to explore areas of study she did not in her undergraduate, and as a result she is excited to embrace her role as an advisor and encourage students to accomplish whatever they desire. 

See more at The Bates Student.