How to Get More Students Excited About Economics With Annur Chaudhary And Thando Mafa Artwork

How Did I Get Here? from Discover Economics

What are you going to be when you grow up? A doctor, an astronaut, an engineer, a footballer? Very few people have ever dreamt that one day they would be an economist. It’s a profession on few young people’s radars, is barely understood and, let’s face it, has an image problem. Most people picture economists, if they think about them at all, as “men in suits who are crunching numbers, talking about interest rates and making money”.This series of podcasts aim to challenge – and change – your image of economists. A series of conversations with economists who are working in a variety of different organisations, the podcasts will explore their personal journeys. What inspired them to choose to study economics? How did they get to their current position? What are they currently working on and what are some of the things that they love about economics?

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How Did I Get Here? from Discover Economics

How to Get More Students Excited About Economics With Annur Chaudhary And Thando Mafa

March 04, 2025 • Two Bees Consulting Ltd • Season 2 • Episode 25

Why do so many students overlook it as a subject and career path? And what can we do to change that?

In this episode, we’re joined by Thando Mafa and Annur Chaudhary, two passionate Discover Economics Student Ambassadors, who are on a mission to inspire more young people to see the value of economics.

Originally from Botswana and Bangladesh, they share their journeys into economics, what made them fall in love with the subject, and how they’re helping students and teachers see its real-world impact.

Through their outreach work in schools, Thando and Annur have discovered that many students don’t realise how broad and exciting economics can be. They break down common misconceptions, highlight how economics connects to everything from sustainability to psychology, and share what’s working when it comes to getting more students engaged.

In this episode, we cover:

How one student’s simple question about diversity led to a whole new world of economics.
What makes some students fall in love with economics after just one lesson?
The surprising ways student ambassadors are changing the way economics is introduced in schools.
Busting the myth that the subject is ‘just about money’. Hint: It’s way more than that.
How behavioural economics explains everything from shopping habits to government policies.
What happens when students finally see themselves represented in economics careers.
Why a one-to-one conversation with an ambassador can completely change a student’s career path.
The simple shift teachers can make to help students connect economics to their daily lives.

If you're a student wondering where economics could take you, or a teacher looking for ways to introduce it in the classroom, this episode is packed with insights, advice, and inspiration.

Listen in to hear how student ambassadors like Thando and Annur are opening doors for the next generation of economists, and how you can get involved, too!

LEARN MORE

Find out more about Discover Economics Student Ambassadors - https://www.discovereconomics.co.uk/get-involved

Discover Economics - https://www.discovereconomics.co.uk

LISTEN

How Did I Get Here? from Discover Economics - https://www.discovereconomics.co.uk/podcast

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6ymip1H9Tpy5kBInSEJrUz?si=4b4013bcadd24a14

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/how-did-i-get-here-from-discover-economics/id1557268390