I am pleased to welcome you to the Department of Economics at the University of Maryland. Our faculty, students, staff, and alumni form a vibrant and dynamic community that fosters research, learning, and public service in Economics at the highest levels.

We have over 30 tenure track faculty who engage in research and teaching across a wide set of fields within Economics. In addition to publishing innovative research in top peer-reviewed outlets in Economics, many of our tenure track faculty actively engage in providing policy advice to governments and international organizations around the world. Our nine professional track faculty are invaluable contributors to the teaching and learning environment in our Department, bringing cutting-edge instructional methods into our undergraduate classrooms.

Over 110 Ph.D. students are currently engaged in coursework and dissertation research so that they too will become leading researchers and educators. The approximately 120 students in our M.S. in Applied Economics program are investing in their skills in the applied tools of economics to advance their professional careers. Over 1200 current undergraduates have chosen to study with us as Economics majors in our B.A. and B.S. tracks, and many other undergraduate students gain exposure to the field of Economics by taking our courses each year.

The Department is committed to providing a positive and inclusive atmosphere that embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives. Through initiatives and programs such as PADE (Promoting Academics and Diversity in Economics) and the BSOS Summer Research Initiative, we are actively working to help break down barriers faced by under-represented groups in the Economics profession. We recognize that we can do more to support under-represented groups in our community, and we will continue to listen and learn and work toward making our Department and the Economics profession more inclusive.

We are especially proud of our alumni. They serve as wonderful ambassadors of the University of Maryland and the Department of Economics, and many of them give back to our community via opportunities such as serving on the Economics Leadership Council, providing internships and scholarships for current students, and actively networking about careers with current UMD students.

I invite you to look through the many pages of our Department website to learn more about our faculty and students, our research and teaching, and about the opportunities we offer.