FRE Faculty Members Teaching with the MFRE program
MFRE faculty bring expertise in economic analysis, food and resource markets, environmental policy, sustainability, finance and data analytics. Their research, teaching and industry experience connect economic theory with real-world challenges in the food, climate and natural resource sectors.
Dr. Kelleen Wiseman
Academic Director, Master of Food and Resource Economics
Teaching: FRE 516 Financial and Sustainability Reporting
Research & Expertise: Sustainability reporting; sustainable entrepreneurship; green financing and investment; agribusiness management.
Dr. Wiseman is Academic Director of the Master of Food and Resource Economics program at UBC. She brings extensive experience in agribusiness management, food industry strategy and applied economics, including work with Canadian and US organizations. Her research and teaching connect financial analysis, sustainability reporting, investment decisions and business strategy. She focuses on how firms in the food and resource sectors can make informed financial and sustainability decisions that strengthen long-term resilience, competitiveness and responsible resource management.
Dr. Rick Barichello
Professor
Teaching: FRE 505 Agricultural and Resource Policy Analysis
Research & Expertise: Agricultural trade policy; world food markets; agricultural development; policy evaluation.
Dr. Barichello is a Professor of Food and Resource Economics at UBC. His research focuses on agricultural and trade policy, world food markets, agricultural development and the evaluation of government policy instruments. He has extensive international experience in agricultural development and policy reform, particularly in Asia. His work examines how economic policies influence agricultural markets, producers, trade and food security. He brings this international policy perspective to teaching students how economic analysis informs agricultural and resource policy decisions.
Dr. Joséphine Gantois
Assistant Professor, Food and Resource Economics; Joint Appointment with the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability
Teaching: FRE 527 Environmental Data Analytics
Research & Expertise: Biodiversity conservation; ecological impacts of agriculture; causal inference; environmental data analytics.
Dr. Gantois is an environmental economist whose research examines the ecological impacts of human activities in natural and agricultural landscapes. She combines economics and ecology with data analytics, remote sensing and machine learning to assess biodiversity outcomes and conservation policies. Her work explores how land management and agricultural production can support both environmental conservation and economic objectives. She brings interdisciplinary research methods to MFRE, helping students apply quantitative tools to understand environmental challenges and evaluate policy and management decisions.
Dr. Sumeet Gulati
Professor
Teaching: FRE 527 Economics of Environmental Policy
Research & Expertise: Wildlife conservation; human-wildlife conflict; environmental policy; carbon taxes; urban transportation.
Dr. Gulati is a Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics at UBC. His research uses economic analysis and data to evaluate environmental policy and conservation outcomes. His current work focuses on human-wildlife conflict, including the economic and social costs of living near wildlife. He has also studied carbon taxes, transportation policy and the effectiveness of environmental regulations. His teaching connects economic incentives, policy design and empirical analysis to practical challenges in environmental protection and resource management.
Dr. Matias Margulis
Associate Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Teaching: FRE 531 Global Food and Resource Governance
Research & Expertise: Global food governance; international trade; food security; human rights; international law.
Dr. Margulis studies global food governance, international trade, development and food security. He brings extensive international policy experience, including representing Canada at the World Trade Organization, OECD and UN Food and Agriculture Organization. His research examines how international institutions, trade agreements and global governance influence food systems, development and the rights of vulnerable populations. At MFRE, he connects international policy and governance with the economic and political challenges facing global food and natural resource systems.
Dr. Carol McAusland
Professor, Food and Resource Economics
Teaching: FRE 502 Food Market Analysis
Research & Expertise: Environmental economics; international trade; carbon policy; regulated markets; environmental impacts of globalization.
Dr. McAusland is a Professor of Food and Resource Economics at UBC. Her research examines the relationship between globalization, international trade and environmental policy. She has studied carbon pricing, environmental regulation, trade liberalization and consumer-related environmental policies. Her work explores how economic incentives, trade rules and government policies influence market behaviour and environmental outcomes. At MFRE, she applies economic theory and market analysis to questions involving competition, trade, regulation and decision-making in food and resource markets.
Dr. Karen Taylor
Lecturer and Adjunct Professor
Teaching: FRE 515 Agribusiness Management
Research & Expertise: Agribusiness management; corporate finance; agricultural banking; business valuation; sustainable food businesses.
Dr. Taylor brings extensive agribusiness and corporate finance experience to MFRE, including her work as Director of Corporate Finance at BMO Financial Group. With a PhD in Agricultural Economics and a background in farming, she connects financial analysis, business strategy and sustainability. Her teaching emphasizes real-world business decisions, valuation, financing and management challenges in the agri-food sector. She draws on both financial-sector and agricultural experience to help students understand how food and resource businesses operate and grow.
Dr. James Vercammen
Professor Emeritus
Teaching: FRE 501 Strategic Economic Analysis of Agri-Food Markets
Research & Expertise: Agricultural commodity markets; price analysis; environmental policy; econometrics; commodity risk management.
Dr. Vercammen studies agricultural commodity prices, environmental policy and market risk. His research uses economic modelling, time series analysis and machine learning to examine relationships between energy prices, food markets and agricultural policy. He has served as an editor of leading agricultural economics journals and supervises applied MFRE graduating projects involving economic and market analysis. His teaching emphasizes the use of economic models and quantitative analysis to understand strategic decisions in agricultural and resource markets.
MFRE Instructors
MFRE instructors bring specialized academic and industry experience in business, finance, commodity markets, economic analysis and data science. Their courses connect classroom learning with practical applications and industry decisions.
Dr. Tim Silk
Associate Professor of Teaching, Marketing and Behavioural Science Division, UBC Sauder School of Business
Teaching: FRE 518 Survey Design and Data Analysis
Research & Expertise: Consumer behaviour; survey research; market analysis; product development; pricing and marketing strategy.
Dr. Silk is an award-winning instructor and researcher at UBC Sauder School of Business. His expertise includes consumer behaviour, market research, brand strategy, product development and pricing. He has advised businesses and government organizations on marketing and consumer policy. His teaching emphasizes how firms can use evidence about consumer preferences to improve business decisions. At MFRE, he helps students design surveys, analyze responses and translate market research into practical business and policy insights.
Dr. Rashid Sumaila
Professor, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and School of Public Policy and Global Affairs; Canada Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics, Tier 1
Teaching: FRE 523 The Economics of World Fisheries
Research & Expertise: Fisheries economics; marine conservation; fisheries subsidies; sustainable ocean management; resource policy.
Dr. Sumaila is an internationally recognized fisheries economist whose research focuses on sustainable management of marine resources. His work examines fisheries subsidies, illegal fishing, marine conservation and the economic value of ocean ecosystems. He has contributed to global discussions on fisheries policy and ocean sustainability, using economic analysis to inform decisions about marine resources. His research combines economics, environmental science and public policy to examine how fisheries can support livelihoods, economic development and long-term ocean health.
Dr. Gordon Munro
Professor Emeritus, Vancouver School of Economics; Associate, Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, UBC
Teaching: FRE 523 The Economics of World Fisheries
Research & Expertise: Fisheries economics; international fisheries management; renewable resource economics; marine resource policy.
Dr. Munro is Professor Emeritus in the Vancouver School of Economics at UBC. His research focuses on the economic management of the world’s fisheries and renewable marine resources. He has worked with international organizations including the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, OECD and World Bank. His work examines economic incentives, international cooperation and policy approaches to sustainable fisheries management. He brings extensive experience in resource economics and international fisheries governance to the study of global fisheries policy.
Asif Neloy
Lecturer, Douglas College; Machine Learning & Data Science Specialist and Quantitative Research Professional
Teaching: FRE 521D Data Analytics in Climate, Food and the Environment
Research & Expertise: Machine learning; artificial intelligence; predictive analytics; Python; SQL; data-driven decision-making.
Asif Ahmed Neloy is a machine learning researcher specializing in data analytics, anomaly detection and AI-driven decision-making. His work includes statistical learning, predictive modelling and applications in finance and climate analytics. He combines experience in quantitative research and data science with teaching practical analytical methods. At MFRE, he helps students work with real-world datasets using Python, SQL, predictive models and visualization tools to investigate challenges in food systems, climate and resource management.
Jaqueline Wong
Commodity Trader, Olympic Industries ULC
Teaching: FRE 517 Futures Trading of Agricultural Commodities
Research & Expertise: Commodity trading; futures and options; risk management; lumber markets; hedging strategies.
Jaqueline Wong is a commodity trader with experience in physical lumber markets, futures, options and hedging strategies across North America. She previously worked in global financial markets at HSBC in Hong Kong, managing foreign exchange, rates and structured products. Her experience combines financial derivatives with physical commodity trading and market risk management. At MFRE, she helps students understand how commodity markets function and how businesses use futures, options and hedging strategies to manage price uncertainty.
Dr. Kurt Niquidet
Vice President and Chief Economist, BC Council of Forest Industries; Adjunct Professor, UBC Master of Food and Resource Economics and Faculty of Forestry
Teaching: FRE 530 Econometrics with Time Series Data
Research & Expertise: Forest economics; commodity markets; economic forecasting; international trade; applied econometrics.
Dr. Niquidet is Vice President and Chief Economist at the BC Council of Forest Industries. He previously worked at the Bank of Canada and Canadian Forest Service, focusing on global commodities, economic analysis and forest sector policy. His research spans timber markets, forest economics and international trade. He brings extensive industry and government experience to applied econometrics teaching at MFRE, helping students use time series data, economic forecasting and quantitative methods to analyze real-world business and policy questions.
Dr. Kevin Laughren
Lecturer, Economics, Simon Fraser University
Teaching: FRE 521E Economic Analysis Using Machine Learning
Research & Expertise: Machine learning; applied microeconomics; behavioural economics; experimental economics; economic data analysis.
Dr. Laughren is a Lecturer in Economics at Simon Fraser University. His work focuses on applied microeconomics, behavioural and experimental economics, and machine learning. He has designed and taught courses in applied machine learning and economic analysis. His teaching emphasizes the use of quantitative tools to understand economic behaviour and evaluate real-world questions. At MFRE, he introduces students to machine learning methods and their applications in economic analysis, prediction and evidence-based decision-making.
Nishant Kalia
Strategic Sourcing Analyst; UBC Instructor
Teaching: Commodity Analysis Workshop Series
Research & Expertise: Commodity markets; derivatives trading; futures and options; investment research; price risk management.
Nishant brings experience in derivatives trading, investment research and commodity market analysis to the MFRE program. His expertise includes futures and options, trading strategies, financial markets and commodity price risk. His applied workshops introduce students to markets such as oil, sugar and coffee, connecting financial instruments with underlying commodity market conditions. He helps students understand price movements, market analysis and how derivatives and risk management tools are used in real-world trading and business decisions.