Sanaz
Kakavand

I am a PhD candidate in Business Technology Management at the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, affiliated with the Informatics Research Centre (iRC). My research sits at the intersection of digital platform economics, behavioral economics, and data privacy.

My dissertation examines how different monetization models shape user behavior and welfare across digital platforms — from blockchain-based incentive systems in gaming to consent-based monetization under privacy regulation. I am supervised by Dr. Hooman Hidaji.

I joined the PhD program in Fall 2021, bringing a background from my master’s degree in Iran and a deep interest in understanding why people respond the way they do under different system designs.