Teaching

  • Teaching Philosophy

    I led diverse courses for the SFU Beedie School of Business, SFU Department of Economics, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), and the Douglas College in BC. These experiences add to the breadth of my knowledge consistent with what Joseph L. Rotman said “Breadth of knowledge is critical to developing high value decision-makers for today’s business world.” Click here to read my teaching philosophy in details.

    I enjoy teaching and I believe it is a vital responsibility of every academic towards the students and to the world as a whole. I have been involved in many teaching activities during the last five and half years as outlined in my CV. I led diverse courses in finance, economics, and risk management. I have a distinct teaching philosophy:

    • I believe the greatest challenge in teaching is transmitting knowledge simultaneously to lots of people who think in different ways. I always try to take into account this heterogeneity by preparing myself to explain the same content in different ways. Yet, while some students need to get the verbal intuition first, others cannot think correctly before equations are written on the boards, or need a graphical visualization. My responsibility as a teacher is to provide to students something natural for them to cling on, as they try to follow my line of reasoning.
    • I do not only rely on traditional textbooks and theories, but also give much emphasis to real life experiences from my own background in investment banks, think tanks, and manufacturing firms so that students can relate the theory to reality. These methods put the teaching component into the hands of the students, allowing them to become close to experts in the topics covered and to help others learn about it.
    • I am fully committed to promote equity among students and close the achievement gaps in all areas, including gender, ethnicities and learning capabilities. Having a community of equity does not mean that everyone is treated equally; but rather that each person is treated fairly and with respect. Through creating this type of community, each student is able to reach his or her fullest potential, which will lead to a closing of the achievement gap among the students.
    • At SFU, I am working with a group of students who have very diverse learning styles and needs. My aim is that each student in the class should be given the opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential with as much time spent in the general education setting as possible. Through my experience in classroom, I have gained the ability to modify my lessons and provide accommodations for all of my students, including those who take longer to understand the materials, to further enhance their educational experience.

The teaching positions that I held as well as the courses I taught (with descriptions) are provided below.

  • PresentAug 2018

    Lecturer

    Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia, BC, Canada

  • ECON 425: Econometrics

    Fall 2018

    The course covers both the theoretical and applied issues in econometrics. This course is designed to make students familiar with various econometric methods and equip them with skills to communicate the terms and ideas behind the use of the methods and to properly interpret the results from the methods. The course begins with the basics of probability, statistics and simple linear regression models. Then, we cover regression with Multiple Regressors, Nonlinear Regression Functions, Regression with Panel Data and Binary Dependent Variable, Instrumental Variables Regression, Experiments and Quasi-Experiments, Estimation of Dynamic Causal Effects etc.

  • ECON 355: International Trade

    Fall 2018

    In this course, students learn about the determinants of trade patterns, trade policy, tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, political economy of protectionism, bilateral and multilateral trade disputes, trade liberalization, trade and development. Specific topics those are discussed in this course are: gains from trade in a classical world; the modern theory of international trade; factor price equalization; empirical tests and extensions of the pure theory model; economic growth and international trade; the nature and effects of protection; motives and welfare effects of factor movements; multinational enterprises; the brain drain; customs union theory; pollution control and international trade.

  • ECON 102: Principles of Macroeconomics

    Fall 2018

    This course introduces the major issues facing the world’s economies and the basic principles and tools of Macroeconomics used to study or address those issues. The topics covered include national income, money and banking, unemployment and business cycle, economic growth, fiscal and monetary policies, inflation, budget deficits, and expenditure multiplier. The course will also cover exchange rates and international finance. These macroeconomic concepts will be used to understand the recent experience of Canada, U.S. and other countries and to address how current policy initiatives affect their macroeconomic performance.

  • ECON 101: Principles of Microeconomics

    Fall 2018

    This course starts with explaining that individuals, firms, and societies have only limited resources. So, Microeconomics is the study of how decision makers, such as individuals, firms, and societies, do use and should use their limited resources. More specifically, this course examines how market prices goods, allocate society’s scarce resources and what determines those prices; how consumers and firms make decisions and interact in markets; how firms decide what types and quantities of goods services to produce; how various government policies affect market outcomes and social welfare; and how economists view some of the problems caused by pollution, public goods, and common property resources. This course also tries to answer many important questions like: Is a market system a good way of organizing economic activity and allocating society’s scarce resources? What is the best way for the government to raise the tax revenue? Does increasing the minimum wage make sense? Should municipal governments use rent controls to keep housing affordable? How does international trade affect the well-being of Canadians and their trading partners?

  • Aug 2018Jan 2017

    Lecturer

    Beedie School of Business & Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada

  • Dec 2016May 2012

    Sessional Instructor

    Beedie School of Business & Department of Economics, Simon Fraser University, BC, Canada

  • BUS 315: Investments

    Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018

    This course introduces the investment markets and instruments to 3rd year finance students. The course covers theories and best practices of how these securities are valued and managed by investors as a portfolio. While many aspects of this course are quantitative in nature, the concepts of this course are important as a foundation for all students looking to enter a career in finance and investment. The course makes students familiar with the set of issues related to portfolio theory, modern asset pricing, stock and bond valuation, bond duration and yield curve and investment performance analysis. This course also serves as a useful introduction to the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) curriculum (http:/www.cfainstitute.org) while keeping the contents very similar to the CFA curriculum.

  • BUS 413: Corporate Finance

    Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Summer 2015, Spring 2016, Summer 2016, Summer 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018

    This course presents a comprehensive and detailed treatment of the theories, applications, and financial tools used in a corporate financial environment. The course discusses the impact of leverage, taxation, dividends, cash flow, and other business considerations on financial decision-making. Building on the conceptual foundations of financial management, the course also introduces some interesting but complex topics in corporate finance, for example, M&A, Leases, Options etc. The course assumes that students have good prior knowledge regarding the theory of capital markets (BUS 315) and topics in derivative securities pricing (BUS 316).

  • BUS 417: Security Analysis

    Spring 2015

    The emphasis of the course is upon the analysis of marketable securities. While fixed income and hybrid securities will be covered, primary interest is directed towards equity securities (common stocks). Topics to be covered include the mechanics of the secondary markets, the investment characteristics of the securities available in these markets, investment strategies to improve rates of return, and the techniques of traditional security analysis and valuation. All students considering a career in finance, and those interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary for making informed personal investment decisions, can benefit from this course. This course also covers topics from Level 1 and Level 2 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) curriculum (http:/www.cfainstitute.org).

  • ECON 345: International Finance

    Summer 2013, Fall 2013, Summer 2014 and Fall 2015

    This course surveys a variety of topics in international finance and open-economy macroeconomics, including: the foreign exchange market, exchange rate determination, purchasing power parity, financial derivatives, speculative attacks and the causes and consequences of international financial crises etc. This course follows both a theoretical and practical approach.

  • ECON 383: Selected Topics: Portfolio Theory and Asset Pricing

    Winter 2013, Summer 2016 and Summer 2018

    This course makes students familiar with the set of issues related to financial economics, portfolio theory and modern asset pricing. The emphasis will be on theories and practicalities of investor’s optimal behavior, optimal portfolio choice, return predictability and asset management. This course explores theoretical, conceptual and practical foundations of financial economics. Among the theories, upon which modern financial economics is founded, this course will particularly discuss the utility theory with uncertainty, state-preference, mean-variance portfolio theory, the capital asset pricing model, the arbitrage pricing theory, fixed income valuation and term structure of interest rates. The common theme of the course would be how individuals and society allocate scarce resources through a price system based on the valuation of risky assets. The course also answers how individuals make investment choices in an intertemporal setting, under state-preference etc. This course can be considered as an application of microeconomic utility theory and microeconomic foundation of macroeconomics and finance.

  • ECON 355w: Economic Development

    Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Summer 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018 and Fall 2018

    This course provides an introduction to the diverse field of Development Economics. The aim is to study and evaluate various explanations for why some countries are much poorer than others, and to explore various issues of particular relevance to the developing world. Development issues related to education, gender, institutions, aid, debt, governance, corruption, financial markets etc. will be discussed. Both theoretical foundations and empirical evidence will be covered. Note that this course is designated writing intensive (W), and as such, requires the completion of short written assignments on a regular basis.

  • ECON 210: Money and Banking

    Summer 2012

    The course discusses the role and function of monetary aggregates in the economy and studies the financial markets – that is, money, bond and stock markets and their interrelationships. This course employs economic principles to organize and analyze the structure of financial markets. This course also studies the role of the central bank, which includes its use of monetary policy to control growth and fluctuations in the Canadian economy through the chartered banking system. Furthermore, given the high degree of global financial market integration, the course also investigates the links between Canada’s financial system and the international financial system. With the onset of the subprime financial crisis, a money and banking course would not be complete without an extensive analysis of why financial crises occur.

  • ECON 105: Principles of Macroeconomics

    Fall 2012

    This course is designed to introduce classic macroeconomic issues such as national income, growth, inflation, business cycle, unemployment, interest rates, exchange rates, technological progress, and budget deficits. The course provides a unified framework to address these issues and to study the impact of different policies, such as monetary and fiscal policies, on the aggregate behavior of individuals. These analytical tools are then used to understand the recent experience of Canada, U.S. and other countries and to address how current policy initiatives affect their macroeconomic performance. The course also analyzes the Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 in a simple way. The coursework have both theoretical and practical aspect to it.

  • BUS 207: Managerial Economics

    Spring 2017 and Spring 2018

    The purpose of this course is to introduce students to basic concepts in microeconomics and to explore the relevance of economic reasoning to managerial decision-making in business. Specifically, the course has three goals: First, students should learn the economic concepts and models and be able to explain them. Second, students should be able to recognize which concepts and models are useful in understanding a specific business situation. Third, students should be able to apply the concepts and models to the business situations.

  • ECON102: The World Economy

    Fall 2016, Spring 2017 and Fall 2017

    The purpose of this course is to lay the foundation for the understanding of the world economy. This course is a blend of micro and macroeconomics where students learn to examine demand and supply of commodities, world trade, globalization, economic development, as well as monetary & fiscal policy. With a clear introduction of the concepts, the course then examines conflicts, the trends, and the individuals that have been shaping the world economy.

  • FMGT 7510: Advanced Finance

    Spring 2017 and Summer 2017

    This course stresses the application of financial strategies and techniques to the financing challenges commonly faced by business enterprises and the formulation of solutions to those challenges. Using a predominately private corporation, case based approach, students are introduced to various areas of business operations which drive financing requirements or which may exacerbate financial challenges and then examine means of satisfying those requirements or modifying operations to minimize financial challenges. The nature of this course is to apply a variety of financial concepts in a more applied setting.  Although the theory behind these concepts may be reviewed in class, students are expected to already have a reasonable understanding of the materials.

  • FMGT 3510: Finance 1

    Fall 2016

    This course provides students with an introduction to the tools and concepts required for the financial management of a business. The perspective taken is that of maximizing shareholder value, subject to legal and ethical constraints. Topics include free cash flow, the time value of money, financial statement analysis, corporate financial planning, working capital management and an introduction to capital markets and securities valuation.

  • FMGT 4510: Finance 2

    Spring 2016

    This course builds on the topics and techniques of FMGT 3510 above. Students use tools such as DCF/NPV analysis and the weighted average cost of capital to develop a framework for capital budgeting that focuses on increasing shareholder value. Corporate risk management concepts and international financial planning issues are also addressed. An overview of the theory and practice of capital structure decision making and shareholder distributions are provided. Additional topics include leasing, public offerings, and financial options.

  • INTT/FMGT 3550: Business Finance 1

    Fall 2016 and Fall 2017

    The purpose of the course is to give the student an understanding of the role finance plays in business and industry. Corporate finance is a tool that helps managers maximize the financial performance of a company for the long-term benefit of its shareholders. In this course students learn how firms can efficiently allocate their resources and how they can raise funds to pay for those resources on as favorable terms as possible. Topics addressed include: a general introduction to finance, the financial environment, security valuation, capital budgeting, working capital management and financial planning.

  • MKTG 3222: Managerial Finance for Marketing

    Fall 2017

    The purpose of the course is to give the student an appreciation of the role of finance in business and industry and an understanding of the inter-relationships between finance and the other functional aspects of business such as marketing. It is also the objective of the course to teach the student some common decision-making techniques in finance to enable him/her to react optimally under varying conditions with a business environment of ever-increasing complexity.

  • INTT/FMGT 4551: Business Finance 2

    Spring 2017 and Spring 2018

    Business Finance 2 provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of international finance. The modern International Monetary System that is essential for global trade and the free flow of capital is explored in detail. Students are introduced to foreign exchange markets, how these markets function, and how finance professionals manage foreign exchange risk in a multinational setting. Strategies for forecasting foreign currency movements are explained. Detailed analysis of modern hedging mechanisms including currency options and futures, Eurodollar futures, interest rate swaps and currency swaps gives students a solid grounding in foreign currency and interest rate risk management techniques. The student is given an appreciation of the risk inherent in a multinational setting as well as a range of tools and strategies that can be used to manage and mitigate such risk.

  • INTT/FMGT 4552: International Finance

    Spring 2017 and Spring 2018

    This course provides a solid foundation in financial risk management in a multinational setting. In a world where global capital flows and trade are increasingly integrated with day to day business operations it is essential for finance professionals to understand and manage financial risk. The course defines and discusses management of economic and operational risks in a corporate setting. Students are introduced to modern financial risk management techniques. The course explains how a range of modern risk management tools such as money market hedges, futures contracts, options contracts, insurance risk transfer techniques, currency and interest rate swaps are used in hedging and mitigating multinational corporate risks. The student is given an appreciation of economic and operating risks faced by business in a modern global setting, and is provided with a range of tools and strategies that can be used to manage and mitigate such risks.

  • ITMG/FMGT 4530: Enterprise Finance

    Spring 2016, Spring 2017 and Spring 2018

    This course begins with explanation of the basic techniques used by firms in efficiently allocating resources and raising funds to pay for those resources on as favorable terms as possible. Based on these fundamental techniques, the course then provides a framework for the basic evaluation and selection of the most appropriate financing techniques which are available to mature businesses, growth businesses and start up situations. The course outlines the essential components of successful funding presentations or requests. Beginning with clear definitions of the types of businesses one is likely to deal with (e.g. mature, fast growth or start up) the course discusses key operating factors such as cash flow, business plan and management skills in the context of available financing alternatives. Based on fundamental business analysis, the course imparts to students the fundamentals of raising funds. Various sources of funding, the manner in which they should be approached, the documentation they require, their own unique constraints, and the practicalities of combining financing alternatives are outlined within the context of various business types. Funding alternatives discussed will include effective working capital management, short and long-term bank financing, vendor financing, mezzanine finance, venture capital and public market financing. This course lays a clear framework in which students are able to clearly identify key financing issues. At the completion of this course, participants should clearly understand the fundamentals of business financing and should have a clear understanding of the role professional advisors such as accountants, lawyers and financial players play in developing effective financing strategies.

  • FMGT 3555: Finance for Business Management

    Summer 2016 and Summer 2017

    The purpose of the course is to give the student an understanding of the role finance plays in business and industry. Corporate finance is a tool that helps managers maximize the financial performance of a company for the long-term benefit of its shareholders. In this course students learn how firms can efficiently allocate their resources and how they can raise funds to pay for those resources on as favorable terms as possible. Topics addressed include: a general introduction to finance, the financial environment, security valuation, capital budgeting, working capital management and financial planning.

  • RMGT/FMGT 4620: Security Fundamentals

    Fall 2015, Summer and Fall 2016, Spring, Summer and Fall 2017

    This course is designed to convey the nature and function of capital markets, the important features of the instruments which trade in these markets and the factors which contribute to the value of securities. A discussion of derivative instruments and mutual funds conclude the course. This course helps prepare for the Associate Certificate in Financial Planning which makes the course a Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC®) pre-approved core curriculum program. This course also meets Certified Financial Planner® (CFP) program academic requirements. This course also covers important topics frequently asked in the Canadian Securities Course (CSC®) exam and the Investment Funds in Canada (IFC) exam.

  • RMGT 4730: Risk Financing

    Spring 2016

    This course provides details on the selection, implementation and monitoring of risk financing techniques. Subjects include insurance as a risk financing technique, financing property risk, risk retention including use of captives, risk cost allocation, finite and integrated risk plans and capital market products for risk financing.

  • Aug 2018Sep 2017

    Faculty (Part-time)

    Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration, Douglas College, BC, Canada

  • FINC 3390: Security Analysis

    Summer 2018

    This course focuses on the analysis of individual equity and fixed income securities using theoretical, fundamental and technical techniques. Major areas covered are capital markets, financing, listing and regulation, the process of investing using stock trading simulation software, equities, fixed income securities, derivatives, market analysis, valuation of securities, portfolio approach to investing, mutual funds, hedge funds, and different types of investment accounts.

  • FINC 2340: Fundamentals of Financial Management

    Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Summer 2018

    This course provides an introduction to the general theoretical and practical aspects of financial management as they apply to the profit-oriented business organization. Topics addressed include: a general introduction to finance, the financial environment, security valuation, cost of capital, valuing risky financial assets, capital budgeting, internal and external financing, working capital management, capital structure, interest and exchange rate analysis, corporate restructuring and financial planning.