Ruyan Liao

Ruyan Liao is a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at the University of Minnesota, completing her degree in 2026. Her research is in macroeconomics, with a focus on firm dynamics, market power, and the macroeconomic consequences of imperfect competition. She brings nine years of university-level teaching experience, including three years as a Lecturer at the Carlson School of Management and three years as Instructor of Record for Principles of Microeconomics.

In addition to her academic work, she has led community-based and organizational initiatives. She founded and led community programs, including a sustained educational access initiative, and, as President of the Edina Chinese Association, strengthened governance, mobilized resources, and expanded programming. Her work has focused on identifying unmet needs and building durable, operationally effective solutions.