After nearly a quarter century in Alberta, Herb Emery has set his sights on Atlantic Canada.
Dr. Emery, a preeminent economist and public policy scholar, has joined UNB as the Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics.
An advisor to federal and provincial policymakers, Dr. Emery comes to UNB from the University of Calgary, where he served for 23 years. A prominent focus of his research is on the development of the Canadian economy, and the persistence of long-standing disparities across regions.
Dr. Emery was attracted to UNB by the unique opportunities the Vaughan Chair presented, and by the energy and collegiality among the people he met here.
“Over my career, I have chosen to study the regions and provinces in which I have been living. With the Vaughan Chair, I will be provided with the time and focus to study a province and region with considerable economic potential for the purpose of helping to realize that potential,” he says.
Weiqiu Yu, chair of economics on the Fredericton campus, believes Dr. Emery will help extend and enhance links between researchers here at UNB and government to bolster economic development efforts.
“At a time of a shrinking and aging population in New Brunswick, declining industrial base and fiscal austerity, Dr. Emery brings the energy, commitment and experience to help our province meet these challenges head on,” Dr. Yu says.
By working with governments, the private sector and non-profit organizations, the Vaughan Chair provides leadership and capacity in policy development for the region, making Atlantic Canadian provinces leaders in collaboration and creative solutions. The Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics was initiated in the late 1980s with an endowment from the A. Murray Vaughan family. The Vaughans supported recruiting someone who could both enhance understanding of key economic issues in New Brunswick and the Maritimes, and help develop policies to increase the overall prosperity of the region.
