Reza Varjavand (Ph.D., University of Oklahoma) is associate professor of economics and finance at the Graham School of management, Saint Xavier University, of Chicago. He has been an avid participant in many professional organizations and active in the areas of research and presentations. His research interest includes economics of healthcare, pedagogy of teaching, and economic development especially in the developing countries, and economics of religious practices. He is the author of a newly published memoir entitled “From Misery Alley to Missouri Valley” He has as received the Excellence in Scholarship Award in 2004 at Saint Xavier University and the Distinguished Faculty Award in 2005 from the Graham School of Management.