University of Wisconsin-Superior student Usman Ahmad was awarded third place and $250 in prize money in the WiSys Quick Pitch State Final at the WiSys SPARK Symposium. The symposium took place July 24-26 at UW-Superior.

Ahmad, a double-majoring in accounting and economics from Faisalabad, Pakistan, presented “External Debt and Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Analysis on Southeast Asia.”  His faculty advisor is Sakib Mahmud, a professor in sustainable management and economics.

In his pitch, Ahmad explained to the audience how the association between external debt and economic growth can differ by country. Ahmad started by analyzing data from Pakistan and now looks to expand the scope of his research to other countries in Southeast Asia.

 The WiSys SPARK Symposium is held annually at a different Universities of Wisconsin school each year to highlight exceptional research and promote innovation throughout the state. This summer the event drew interest from 160 students and faculty, as well as leaders in industry and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.

The WiSys Quick Pitch is a research-focused student competition that trains Universities of Wisconsin students to consider the impact of their research and learn how to effectively communicate it to a general audience. Students compete in a Quick Pitch competition on their campus to qualify for the statewide finals held annually at the SPARK Symposium. This year the finalists pitched their research to the audience and a panel of faculty, staff, and industry judges.