Open to opportunities

Markos Farag

@markosfarag

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Quantitative economist specializing in energy market analysis and forecasting.

Germany

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What I'm looking for

I seek a role that fosters collaboration and innovation in energy economics, with opportunities for research and professional growth.

I am a quantitative economist with a PhD focused on data-driven forecasting and modeling of market dynamics in energy and commodity markets. My expertise lies in applying advanced time-series econometrics and machine-learning techniques to analyze price behavior, improve forecast accuracy, and quantify risk. I am proficient in R, MATLAB, and SQL, and I excel at translating complex quantitative results into clear, decision-focused insights.

Currently, I serve as a Research Associate and Project Lead at the Chair of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne, where I deliver lectures and mentor students on econometric methods. My research focuses on hydrogen and involves coordinating applied research with academic and industry partners. Previously, I was a Doctoral Researcher at the Institute of Energy Economics, where I developed a structural economic model to analyze U.S. natural gas market dynamics and presented my findings at international conferences.

Throughout my career, I have contributed to various projects, including scenario-based analyses of EU gas supply security and the development of a joint Master’s program between Cairo University and the University of Hamburg. My work has been recognized in publications that enhance methods for practical application in energy economics.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Research Associate & Project Lead

Current

University of Cologne

Jan 2024 - Present (1 year 7 months)

Delivered lectures and mentored students on applying econometric methods to energy and commodity market data. Led hydrogen-focused research and capacity-building initiatives, including workshops and technical cooperation with institutional partners.

Econometrics Mentoring Partnership Management

Doctoral Researcher – Quantitative Energy-Market Analysis

Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (

Jan 2020 - Dec 2023 (3 years 11 months)

Built and implemented a structural economic model to analyze U.S. natural gas market dynamics and generate fundamentals-based probabilistic forecasts. Modeled price interdependencies and shock transmission across regional gas markets using nonlinear time series methods.

Machine Learning Deep Learning R Matlab SQL

Consultant

Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (

Aug 2021 - Mar 2022 (7 months)

Contributed to scenario-based analyses of EU gas supply security, co-authoring EWI’s 2023/24 winter storage outlook. Supported related modeling and reporting efforts for critical energy assessments.

Scenario Modeling Energy Supply Security Report Writing Data Analysis Policy Analysis

Program Coordinator

Cairo University

Jan 2018 - Oct 2019 (1 year 9 months)

Directed the development and launch of a joint Master’s program between Cairo University and the University of Hamburg. Managed daily operations, including workshop organization, conference coordination, and oversight of budgeting and financial administration.

Program Development Project Management Operations Management Financial administration Logistics Coordination Partnership Management

Junior Economist

Egyptian Center for Economic Studies

Jun 2015 - May 2016 (11 months)

Supported consulting projects on poverty mapping and socio-economic development by collecting, structuring, and analyzing economic data. Contributed to Egypt’s 2016 Global Competitiveness Report in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Poverty Mapping Data Collection Data Structuring Report Contribution Economic Research

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Cologne

PhD in Economics, Economics

2020 - 2024

Awarded the EWI Doctoral Fellowship (full-time, competitive 4-year scholarship) for research in energy economics. Dissertation: Essays on Empirical Analysis of Energy Markets. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Marc Oliver Bettzuge & Prof. Dr. Jorg Breitung.