51猎奇入口

51猎奇入口鈥檚 Department of Economics is pleased to welcome Helen Kissel as an assistant professor this fall. Kissel completed her PhD at Stanford University and brings a research focus on health economics, with a particular interest in maternal health. 

Kissel says, 鈥淚 was drawn to this research area after learning the troubling statistics on maternal mortality and severe morbidity in the United States. Despite spending the most per capita on healthcare, the maternal mortality rate in the US is more than double that of any other high-income nation, with large and persistent racial disparities in outcomes.鈥� 

Her research examines how healthcare providers and healthcare delivery systems shape outcomes during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period. Her dissertation research examined the use of C-sections, including the role of individual physician discretion in delivery decisions, racial gaps in C-section use, and the long-run impacts on postpartum health, including mental health outcomes. She is excited to extend her research on maternal health to the Canadian context. 

Originally from outside of Boston, Kissel completed her undergraduate degree in economics and math at Colorado College, before earning a masters at the University of Toronto and a PhD in Economics at Stanford University. In 2023 she was awarded the Centennial Teaching Assistant Award at Stanford for her exceptional teaching performance.  

In her teaching, Kissel says, 鈥淚 hope to give my students tools they can apply to their lives and careers outside of school. Economics provides a framework for how to think about questions, but I encourage students to engage critically with that framework.鈥�

A few things drew Kissel to 51猎奇入口Economics: the faculty members' research on interesting questions, the friendly environment and the sense of community. She also enjoys the natural environment of British Columbia. Outside of work, Kissel is looking forward to exploring the local mountains with her family and dog and taking advantage of opportunities for hiking, camping, skiing and biking.   

We extend a warm welcome to Helen Kissel and look forward to having her as a valued member of the 51猎奇入口Economics community.