You can download my resume from here

Education

• PhD in Quantitative Economics and Econometrics 2013-2016-2021 ( STEM after 2016), University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

  • PhD Adviser: Dr. Mattias Polborn

  • Thesis Topic: “Topics on Firm Heterogeneity and Economic Policy”

We study the effects of heterogeneous firm total factor productivity on the economy through general equilibrium models. We use contest theory to model competition among heterogeneous firms. Calibrating the model to match some of the industry trends, we show that the model is able to explain variable markups, rising market power and variable market shares. We also study the shape of firm distributions in developing world, and illustrate that contest literature can be helpful to understand the irregularities in firm distributions observed in the empirical literature. Lastly, we model the effects of heterogeneity in DSGE models and illustrate that shocks on the productivity might affect growth rates of the economy and have permanent effects.

• Master of Economics 2009-2011, Yerevan State University

  • Major Field: Mathematical Modeling in Economics (99.2% GPA)

Masters Thesis: "Financial Stability in Armenia" with Dr. Sardaryan

• Bachelor of Economics 2005-2009, Yerevan State University

  • Major Field: Economics, Diploma With Honors (100% GPA )

Work Experience

Professional Experience

• Quantitative Analytics Specialist

  • Generative Machine Learning (VAE, GAN) and LSTM models for Fraud Detection.

  • Interpretable semi-supervised VAE for Reject Inference.

  • Experience working with large datasets using Spark, Hadoop.

• Economist

  • Researcher, July 2012-August 2013, Economic Research Department, CBA

    • Specialization on structural transformation, wage differences in manufacturing, service and agricultural sectors.

  • Economic Analyst, January 2011-July 2012

Academic Experience

• Lecturing

  • Monetary Economics and Policy, Spring 2017 - Spring 2021 , UIUC

    • I have been teaching a standalone course on "Monetary Economics and Policy" since 2017. We cover topics ranging from money, financial markets to economic policy.

    • Econometrics, Spring 2012 - Spring 2013, Yerevan State University

      • Lecturer of "Econometrics" for undergraduate and first year masters students in Actuarial Sciences, Department of Mechanics and Mathematics. Focus on applied econometrics using Stata

• Teaching /Research Assistant

  • Macroeconomics, PhD level, Fall 2014 - Spring 2015, UIUC

    • TA for Prof. Woong Yong Park, first year graduate program

    • Best Graduate TA award (voted by first year graduate students)

    • RA for for Prof. Woong Yong Park, DSGE modeling

  • Statistics, Introduction, Fall 2015 - Fall 2016 , UIUC

Research

• "Advertising Contests and Variable Markups in a CES Framework"

  • working paper

• "Insecure Property Rights and the Missing Middle"

  • with Mattias Polborn, working paper

• "Monetary Policy and Endogenous Economic Growth"

  • working paper

Scholarships/Conferences/Awards

• Summer Research Awards, Department of Economics , UIUC 2015, 2020

• Visiting Scholar, Central Bank of Armenia (Dilijan Research and Training Center) 2019,2018,2015

• Seminar Presentation, Armenian Economic Association Annual Meeting 2019

  • “Costly Competition and Firm Distribution”

• Seminar Presentation, Vanderbilt University

  • “Insecure Property Rights and the Missing Middle” 2017

• Instructor, Dilijan Research and Training Center, Central Bank of Armenia 2016

  • Mini-course on Monetary Policy

• Seminar Presentation, Armenian Economic Association Annual Meeting. 2016

  • “Insecure Property Rights and the Missing Middle”

• Seminar Presentation, Armenian Economic Association Annual Meeting. 2015

  • “Monetary Policy and Endogenous Growth: Can Monetary Policy Affect TFP Growth?”

• Excellence in Graduate Teaching Assistantship, EGSO, UIUC 2015

• Graduate Fellowship, Department of Economics, UIUC 2013

• Workshop Participant, Joint Vienna Institute 2012

  • Macroeconomic Forecasting

• Fellowship for Excellence in Studies (GPA 99.2%), Department of Economics, Yerevan State University 2010

• Excellence in Studies, Diploma With Honors (GPA 5.0/5.0), Yerevan State University 2009

Referee Services

• Social Choice and Welfare

• Canadian Journal of Economics

Interests

• Chess

• Photography - My Flickr Page

• Table Tennis

• Hiking, Mountain Climbing