Adam McGeoch
Adam is a Knowledge Exchange Associate in the Fraser of Allander Institute. They graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2018 with a First-class BA (Hons) in Economics and from the University of Edinburgh in 2020 with an MSc. in Economics. Adam's interests are in economic policy and consultancy.
Adam joined the FAI in 2018 after graduating from Strathclyde University and worked on an economic review for a local authority. Since then Adam has been involved in various KE projects, particularly those involving IO modelling.
Outside of the FAI, Adam is the Co-Chair of StrathPride: Strathclyde's LGBTQI+ Staff & PGR Network, and is a member of the Diversity Action Group, representing the Economics Department. Adam is also a member of the steering group for the European Committee for LGBTQ+ Economists.
Why did you choose to study economics?
I had just joined high school at the time of the Great Recession and this really fuelled my interest in the subject. Because of this, I chose to study economics and loved it.
I actually went on to study biomedical sciences at university however, economics remained as one of my main interests, so when I dropped out of that course studying economics was the obvious choice.
How would you describe economics?
I think economics can be described as the study of economic agents (people, businesses, banks, and governments) trying to make optimal decisions with limited resources.
And such a variety of research areas stem from this general statement, ranging from economic policy to environmental economics to business economics.
If you had a time machine and could meet your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give them?
Enjoy your time at university more. Work hard but try not to stress as much because you will miss being a student when you get older!
What is your favourite part of economics?
Economics has a tonne of tools that can be used to make a positive impact on the world, helping policymakers tackle issues from child poverty to the climate crisis.
Is there anything you would do differently if you had the chance?
Perhaps I would have got experience internationally. I never went on a year abroad when I was at university nor have I ever worked abroad and I feel like gaining that experience would have been valuable to me, not just for my career but also personally.