A Colby alum, an East Coast native, an international artificial intelligence enthusiast and a lifelong Mainer are a few of the traits among the new economic department faculty. In the 2023 academic year, the Bates economics department gained four new professors: Dr. Austin Smith, Dr. Sam Bird, Dr. Amanda Lindsay and Dr. Sandra Goff. In the 2020-2021 academic year, the economics department lost four professors, heavily impacting seniors in the major. Several 300-level courses were restructured and students were unable to complete a thesis in economics. The new faculty fill this gap and represent a range of backgrounds in economics, providing Bates students with more opportunities to explore niches within the major.
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 esp …
Economics Department Welcomes Four New Professors – The Bates Student – The Bates Student
