Akbari, Zahra
Title: Assistant Professor of Business & Economics
Department: Department of Business
Phone: 304-384-5154
Discipline: Business
Room: Rahall 222
Akbari, Zahra
Biography
Dr. Zahra Akbari is an Assistant Professor of Business and Economics at Concord University. She earned her B.A. in Economics and later her M.A. in Economics with a focus on Dynamic Economic Systems. She received her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of South Florida, where she began both her teaching and research in health economics.
Dr. Akbari has taught a wide range of courses, from introductory economics to more advanced classes such as health economics, business statistics, and engineering economics. She is passionate about inclusive and engaging teaching. Her work in teaching and pedagogy explores the use of artificial intelligence to enhance students’ critical thinking skills.
Her research focuses on the health effects of retirement and the health behaviors of justice-involved youth with substance use disorder. She also has a secondary research interest in experimental methods in economics and business education. Dr. Akbari is an active member of the Economic Education Network for Experiments (EENE), a research coordination network dedicated to advancing experimental research in economics education.
Outside of her professional work, Dr. Akbari is active and community-oriented. She enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and volleyball. While living in North Carolina, she organized a local tennis group to bring people together and expand access to the sport. She also enjoys attending student-organized events, including performances and athletic games.
Education
- Ph.D. in Economics. University of South Florida. Tampa, FL.
- MA in Economics, University of South Florida. Tampa, FL.
- MA in Dynamic Economic Systems, Azad University, Central Tehran Branch. Tehran, Iran
- BA in Economics. Bu-Ali Sina University. Hamedan, Iran
Research
Research Interests
Health Economics, Behavioral Economics, and Substance Use Disorder in Youth
Publications
- Rabbani, M., Akbari, Z. “Falling birthrate and rising C-section: Post-pandemic evidence from New York”, Ethics, Medicine and Public Health, vol. 33, NO. 101174, 08/2025.
- Vroom, E.B., Johnson, M.E., Akbari, Z., Frederick, Z., and Bristol, S.C. “Examining Gender Differences in the Relationship Between School Bonding and Opioid Misuse Among Justice-Involved Adolescents”, Journal of Drug Issues, vol. 53, NO. 4, 10/2023, pp: 621-636.
- Johnson, M.E., Riggi, K.K., Vroom, E.B., Akbari, Z., and Bristol, S.C. “Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Substance Misuse among Justice-Involved Children”, Substance Use and Misuse, vol. 58, NO. 1, 1/2023, pp: 54-65.
- Vroom, E.B., Johnson, M.E., Akbari, Z. and Bristol, S.C. “Examining Gender Differences in the Relationship Between School Bonding and Opioid Misuse Among Justice-Involved Adolescents”, Journal of Drug Issues , 11/2022, pp: 00220426221139423.
- Zaidi, F., Johnson, M.E., Akbari, Z., Vroom, E.B., and Bristol, S.C. “Sex differences in the Association of Adverse Childhood Experiences on past 30-day opioid misuse among Florida justice-involved children”, Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, vol. 140, 2022: 108787.
- Vroom, E.B., Massey, O.T., Akbari, Z., Bristol, S.C., Cook, B., Green, A.L., B. Levin, B.L., Tyson, D.M., and Johnson, M.E. “Exploring Perceptions of Implementation Practice Capacity in Community-Based Behavioral Health Organizations”, Journal of Community Psychology, vol. 50, no. 13, 11/2021, pp. 1700-1716.
- Abounoori, A., Akbari, Z., and Ghavamipour, M. “International Tourism and Its Role in Economies”, Social Science Bulletin, vol. 1, no. 14, 2014, pp. 5-22.
- Akbari, Z., Abounoori, A. “Classification of Factors Affecting Economic Indicators of International Tourism”, Geography and Development, vol. 12, no.34, Spring 2014, pp. 33-55.