Meet Dr Matloob Piracha, an expert in labour economics and migration, who shares his knowledge with MSc and undergraduate students at Kent. With a genuine passion for teaching and a love for continuous learning, he reveals his secrets to research success and reflects on the timeless advice he’d give to his younger self.
Tell me about yourself – what do you teach and what’s your area of expertise?
I teach International Economics to MSc students and Game Theory to final year undergraduate students. Even though my PhD was in international trade, my research area for a long time has been labour economics and migration
What’s your favourite part about teaching/interacting with students?
Teaching and interacting with students is rewarding in at least two ways. One, I learn a lot during the process of preparing the teaching material, especially the process of finding the best way to intuitively explain a difficult concept. And two, interaction with students in itself is a learning experience, as I learn a lot from them as well. In the end we are all students in some way throughout our lives!
What are your current favourite reads, commuting tunes, and go-to podcasts?
At the moment I am reading The Worldly Philosophers. On my commute from London on the train I generally read a book or the Economist magazine (or newspaper, as they prefer to call it). If I am really tired then I sometimes watch old golf matches or golf instruction videos on YouTube on my phone (I know, quite sad!!)
What are your tips for choosing a research topic for your studies?
Choose the topic that interests you the most. And keep in mind that you are not doing this research to change the world! Keep it real and manageable. You won’t have a lot of time to do it.
What advice would you give your past self when you were first starting University, and would you do anything differently?
Many things! That’s the nature of growing old as one learns from new experiences. But generally, I don’t regret any major decisions of my university life.