Course Evaluations with Selected Comments

Introduction to Economics  (for Non-Majors) - Fall 2023

"Russ displayed a genuine interest in having us build a passion for the principles of economics. He made a seemingly boring online intro class into an engaging experience that has me strongly considering economics as a possible major. His explanations were thorough and reflected careful preparation as he could speak clearly for an hour with minimal usage of notes. He responded promptly to my emails with direct answers to my questions which helped throughout the course."

Intermediate Economics I (Micro Theory) - Fall 2022, Winter 2024, Fall 2024, Fall 2026

"Russ has been one of the best TAs I've had. I truly enjoyed his discussion sessions and even recommended them to my friends because he prepares us so well for exams. His notes are very helpful and I like how he tries hard to interact with students. He is also very accessible, kind, and patient both after class and during office hours. I appreciated how he conducted discussions with organized notes, making everything clear and easy to follow. Overall, it was a pleasure having Russ as my TA this quarter, and I would love to have him for 100B as well!:)"

Intermediate Economics II (Topics in Micro Theory) - Winter 2023, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026, Summer 2026

"Had him last quarter as a TA - great guy. He would make a great professor one day if he chooses to go down that route. Very patient, able to make real life connections to concepts, etc"

"The TAs got a clear outline when coming to class and spends sufficient time between each topic while also stopping to ask questions. I appreciate that they try to get the class engaged by trying to get us to answer questions even when 90% of the time it's the same person that ends up answering but it's an attempt! The TA explains the conceptual side of the course very well and brings up relevant anecdotes at times to make the sections not too boring. I never felt like any time was wasted during discussion and that every minute was used well."

Intermediate Economics III (Macro Theory) - Fall 2025

"The instructor is exceptional at breaking down concepts clearly and concisely. They make the material from lecture much more approachable and easier to understand, and they excel at explaining difficult ideas in a straightforward way. He is patient, always listen carefully to students’ questions, and create a very comfortable environment for asking for help. The review videos are also extremely helpful and make studying much more manageable."

"Russ was an amazing TA. I don't think that I've ever had a TA that led discussions with as much organization and detail as he has. He was really good at explaining each concept covered in class and he always broke it down in a way that the students could understand. He was friendly, helpful, and he helped me understand course concepts so much more. I would say that anyone who gets him as a TA is in luck."

Public Economics II - Spring 2024

"He was able to perform example problems and explain his thought process very clearly, which helped me understand the material far better."

Probability and Statistics for Economics I - Spring 2023

"I am not in his discussion section, but sometimes I go to his office hour to ask some questions. He is so patient and can always explain the problems to me clearly. He is one of the best TAs I have ever seen. He helped me a lot."

Applied Econometrics I - Summer 2025

"Makes discussion class fun and makes the subject more interesting to learn"