March 2025
M A R I A B E J A N
2004: Ph.D. in Economics, summa cum laude, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
1999: M.A. in Economics, University Carlos III de Madrid, Department of Economics, Spain
1997: B.Sc. in Computer Science, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Mathematics, Romania
Affiliations and positions
July 2024 – present: Associate Professor of the Practice, Department of Economics, Boston College
July 2018 – June 2024: Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, Rice University
July 2013 – June 2018: Lecturer and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Rice University
August 2011 – May 2013: Associate Professor of International Business and Finance, Robert W. Plaster School of Business, Missouri Southern State University
August 2010 – July 2011: Visiting Research Scholar, Rice University, Department of Economics
August 2005 – July 2010: Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the International Business area in the Master Programs, ITAM, School of Business, Mexico
March – December 2008: Research Trainee, RGEA (Research Group in Economic Analysis), University of Vigo, Spain
2002 – 2004: Research Fellow, Department of Economics, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
2001 – 2002: Lecturer, Department of Economics, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Fellowships
October 2004 – July 2005 – Jean Monnet Post-Doctoral Fellowship at European University Institute, Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies (RSCAS), Florence, Italy
April – October 2003 – Marie Curie Fellowship at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
July – September 2002 – Foundation Carlos III award for short stay in Minnesota University
June 2002 – European Commission Fellowship to attend PACO Training Session, CEPS/INSTEAD, Luxembourg
Awards
2024 – Distinguished College Associate, Rice University
2023 – Finalist for the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching, Rice University
2023 – Distinguished College Associate, Rice University
2023 – Will Rice College Favorite Professor, Rice University
2022 – Finalist for the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching, Rice University
2022 – Career Champion Award, Center for Career Development, Rice University
2021 – Scholar-Athlete Favorite Professor Award, Rice University
2020 – Career Champion Award, Center for Career Development, Rice University
2019 – Malcolm Gillis Award for Distinction in Undergraduate Teaching, Rice University
2019 – Will Rice College Favorite Professor, Rice University
2018 – Outstanding Faculty Associate for 2017-2018, Will Rice College, Rice University
2018 – Lovett College Favorite Professor, Rice University
2017 – Scholar-Athlete Favorite Professor Award, Rice University
2017 – Distinguished Faculty Associate for 2016-2017, Hanszen College, Rice University
2016 – Outstanding Faculty Associate for 2015-2016, Hanszen College, Rice University
2015 – Distinguished Faculty Associate for 2014-2015, Hanszen College, Rice University
2015 – Will Rice College Favorite Professor, Rice University
2014 – Baker College Favorite Professors, Rice University
2014 – Duncan College Favorite Professor, Rice University
2010 – Distinguished Teacher Award, MBA, ITAM, Mexico
2007 –2009 – Distinguished Teacher Award, Department of Business Administration, ITAM, Mexico (undergraduate level)
2006 – Distinguished Teacher Award, Department of Business Administration, ITAM, Mexico (MBA and undergraduate level)
2002 – Winner of the research competition at PACO Training Session, CEPS/INSTEAD, Luxembourg
2001-2002 – Distinguished Teacher Award, Department of Economics, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain
Teaching Experience
Undergraduate level:
Boston College – Department of Economics:
Mathematical Economics (ECON 3700) (2025 – present)
Principles of Economics (ECON 1101) (2024 – present)
Rice University – Department of Economics:
Mathematical Economics (ECON 308) (2013 – 2024)
International Economics and Finance (ECON 422) (2015 – 2024)
Microeconomics I (ECON 201) (2013-2015)
Missouri Southern State University – Robert W. Plaster School of Business:
International Business (IB310)
International Corporate Finance (IB430)
The American Economic System (ECON180)
Principles of Economics (Macroeconomics) (ECON 201)
ITAM Business School (Mexico):
International Business
Managerial Economics
University Carlos III de Madrid (Spain):
International Economics
Decisions and game theory
Teaching assistant for: Advanced Macroeconomics, Advanced Microeconomics, Public Economics, Mathematical Economics, Decisions and Game Theory.
Graduate level:
Rice University – Department of Economics:
Mathematical Economics I (PhD level, ECON 507) (2013)
ITAM Business School (Mexico):
Global Strategy, Microeconomics (MBA, Master in International Management)
International Markets, MYGLOBE (Executive Program)
University Carlos III de Madrid (Spain):
Microeconomics (MA Industrial Organization)
Academic Service
Rice University:
Member of the Rice University Committee on Fellowships and Awards (Fall 2016 – present)
Member of the Rice Economics Department Undergraduate Committee (Fall 2016 – present)
Member of the Rice Economics Department Honors Committee (Fall 2019 – present)
Faculty participant in the Rice Academic Affair (2017, 2023)
ROAR (Rice Outcomes Assessment Report) (2017, 2018)
Will Rice College Faculty Associate (Spring 2017 – present)
Will Rice College - Faculty mentor for an O-week group (Fall 2017– present)
Faculty participant in the Admitted Owl Calling Campaign (2016, 2017)
Rice Undergraduate Research Symposium judge (April 2016)
Hanszen College Faculty Associate (Spring 2014 – Fall 2017)
Hanszen College - Faculty mentor for an O-week group (Fall 2014)
Missouri Southern State University:
Member of the Academic Policies Committee (2011-2013)
Member of the Faculty Development Committee (2011-2013)
Member of the Students and Alumni Affairs Committee (2011-2013)
Member of the ACBSP Accreditation Committee (2011-2013)
ITAM (Mexico):
Coordinator of the Master in International Management
AACSB Accreditation Committee member
Faculty advisor
Master and MBA theses advisor
Publications and working papers
Publications
Bejan, M (2011) - “Trade Agreements and International Comovements: the Case of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)”, Review of Economic Dynamics 14(4), pag.667-685.
Bejan, M (2010) - “Openness to Trade and Output Volatility” - BALAS Annual Conference Proceedings - 2010-03-24
Bejan. M., Ortega, F. (2009) - “CEMEX: Crecimiento y consolidación a través de la diversificación de mercados”, ITAM Business Cases series Nr. ITAM/DAAC 097-09-EST-CD (2009)
Bejan, M., Ortega, F. (2009) - “CEMEX: Crecimiento y consolidación a través de la diversificación de mercados: Nota de Enseñanza”, ITAM Business Cases series Teaching Note Nr. ITAM/DAAC 099-09-EST-NE (2009)
Bejan, M (2007) - “Some Business Cycle Consequences of Signing NAFTA”, European University Institute RSCAS 2007/03
Bejan, M. (2007) - “Openness to Trade and Output Volatility”, proceedings of the 7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Business
Bejan, M. , Desmet, K., Kujal, P and Lopez, J.M. (2002) - “Inward FDI and Labor Markets: A Sectoral Analysis for Spain”, proceedings of the CEPR workshop “Foreign direct investment and labor markets”
Work in progress
“Trade and Volatility: A cross-country analysis”
“A Reassessment of the Relationship between Openness and Volatility using an International Business Cycle Model”
“Performance-Based Contracts, Monitoring and Fraud" (joint with Camelia Bejan and P.K. Sen )
“Liability versus Negligence in Information Security Contracts” (joint with Camelia Bejan)
Referee work
Review of Economics and Statistics
Regional Studies
International Review of Economics and Finance
Canadian Journal of Economics
The World Economy
The Journal of International Trade and Economic Development
Eurasian Economic Review
Member of the scientific committee for the XXIV Conference on International Economics, Spain, 2023
Business Association of Latin American Studies
Economía Mexicana - Nueva Epoca
Cambridge University Press (book review)
Conferences, Workshops, and Seminars
2024
In Defense of a Liberal Education Reading Group, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2023
XXXI European Workshop on Economic Theory, Naples, Italy
2022
RISE Inflation Conference, Rice University
Innovative Educators Summit, Hawkes Learning, online
Learning from Our Students: Tools and Techniques for Collecting Student Feedback, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2020 - 2021
attended several teaching webinars from Harvard Business Publishing Education, online
2019
Effective Feedback for Deeper Learning, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2018
Teaching and Accessibility: Exploring the Research on Universal Design for Learning, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2017
Grade Orientation & The Motivation To Learn, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
Challenging the Biased Brain: Creating Constructive Dialogue in the Classroom, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2016
Stereotype Threat: What It Is and How It Affects Our Teaching, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2015
Boston College, USA (teaching seminar)
Society of Economic Design Conference, Istanbul, Turkey
2014
Student Feedback: a Key to Success, Center for Teaching Excellence, Rice University
2013
Academy of International Business – Midwest Meeting, Chicago, USA (presenter)
2012
SBR (Society of Business Research), Nashville (TN), USA (presenter)
2010
BALAS 2010 (Business Association of the Latin American Studies), Barcelona, Spain (presenter)
2009
43rd conference of the Canadian Economics Association, Toronto, Canada (presenter)
LACEA-LAMES 2009, Buenos Aires, Argentina (paper accepted)
Econometric Society Australasian Meeting, Canberra, Australia (paper accepted)
2008
RGEA (Research Group in Economic Analysis), University of Vigo, Spain (seminar)
2007
7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Business, Hawaii, USA (presenter)
CIDE, Mexico City, Mexico (seminar)
2005
University of Guanajuato, Mexico (seminar)
ITAM Business School (seminar)
SAET Conference on Current Trends in Economics, Vigo, Spain (presenter)
LACEA 2005, Paris, France (presenter)
VI National Symposium in Administration, Acapulco, Mexico (invited speaker)
European University Institute (Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies) (seminar)
BBVA, Madrid, Spain (seminar)
2004
Fall 2004 Midwest Economic Theory and Trade Conference, St. Louis (MO), USA (presenter)
XXIX Symposium of Economic Analysis, Pamplona, Spain (presenter)
European University, Madrid, Spain (seminar)
EEA-ESEM (19th Annual Congress of the European Economic Association and 59th European Meeting of the Econometric Society), Madrid, Spain (presenter)
2003
Summer Meeting of Economic Analysis, Vigo, Spain (presenter)
XXVIII Symposium of Economic Analysis, Seville, Spain (presenter)
Macroeconomics Workshop, University Carlos III de Madrid, Spain (presenter)
2002
CEPR workshop “Foreign direct investment and labor markets”, Turin, Italy (presenter)
Theses/research supervised
Graduate level:
Maria Ayala (2009, MBA, ITAM - with special mention, Mexico)
Francisco Ortega Jara (2010, MIM, ITAM, Mexico)
Undergraduate level:
Ryane Oswald (expected 2025, Honors Program, Boston College)
Yixing (Lisa) Ling (2020, Honors Program, Rice University)
Jiawen Xie (Fall 2017, Rice University)
Ryan Prisock (2013, Honors Program, MSSU)
Tashel Martin (2012, Honors Program, MSSU)
Aaron Pirtle (2012, MSSU)
Claudio Ruiz Cervantes (2008, ITAM, Mexico)
Andres Aguilar Magallon (2008, ITAM, Mexico)
Languages
English
Spanish
Italian
French (basic)
Romanian (native)