Bio
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What I've done
Zillow Group
January, 2021 - Present
Applied Scientist
It turned out that the awesome people at Zillow wanted me back! Since January of 2021, I have been working at Zillow Group’s economic research as an applied scientist. The combination of intellectual freedom and stimulation, vibrant working environment with some amazing coworkers, great benefits and the work-life balance that Zillow offers is truly unique. I am blessed to call this place my work.
Cornerstone Research
August, 2020 - January, 2021
Associate Economist
Following my ventures in the tech world with Zillow, I decided to dip my toes into the world of economic/litigation consulting. It was an eye-opening experience in a world I knew very little about. Working with some incredibly smart and hard-working people, from junior analysts to principals and VPs, I helped with modeling rebuttal analysis, critiquing opposite side’s econometric methodologies and reading literature to recommend analysis strategies.
Zillow Group
June, 2020 - August, 2020
Economist Intern
Though I had worked part-time and partnered with several companies and organizations before, interning at Zillow was my first professional experience of such magnitude. I was tasked with identifying business areas of potential improvement and to construct behavioral theory-backed hypotheses about the impacts of potential interventions. I designed and conducted an online behavioral experiment and I communicated my findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders.
USC Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR)
May, 2017 - May, 2020
Research Scientist
I’ve had the pleasure of being part of the CESR family for three years as a research assistant to the director, Arie Kapteyn. Apart from my main responsibilities of developing our paper “Relativity and Habit Formation in Life Satisfaction. (see Research)”, I have collaborated with several other researchers, worked with worldwide surveys of life satisfaction (Gallup World Poll, Eurobarometer, Health and Retirement Survey, etc) as well as assisted in the writing of two grant proposals to the National Science Foundation.
City of Los Angeles - LA Data Science Federation
September, 2017 - June, 2018
(Graduate) Data Scientist
Formed a team of PhD students and collaborated with City of LA officials and policymakers to obtain real estate and affordable housing data in order to analyze the impact of the introduction of affordable housing on real estate prices. The experience of working with policymakers on a very real problem that is plaguing Los Angeles was very special, one that I have learned so much from. We estimated the average treatment effect using a difference-in-differences design and presented results at the LA City Hall and the quarterly meetings of the LA Data Science Federation (DSF).
WPromote
January 2017 - July 2017
(Graduate) Data Analyst
I was brought into this project by a mutual contact. I worked alongside the company’s Data Science team to model advertising attribution data from several of their client companies. We estimated Shapley values and impulse response functions using Python. This was my first, non-academic experience where I utilized my econometric skills to think about, model and estimate business questions.
Los Angeles Behavioral Economics Laboratory, USC
September, 2016 - December, 2016
Research Assistant
I began my involvement at LABEL as a participant in the lab’s weekly meetings, led by Profs. Juan Carrillo and Isabelle Brocas, in my second year of the PhD program. During my time with LABEL I assisted in the running of experimental sessions, promoting student participation for the lab in various events and helped analyze a dataset from an experiment. My assistance was recognized in this paper.
Economics department, USC
August, 2016 - May, 2017
Teaching Assistant
Teaching assistant for two masters classes in microeconomic analysis and an upper-level undergraduate class in Economics of happiness. Being a TA for two sections of the same class (microeconomic analysis) taught by two different instructors was an invaluable lesson in teaching given the variability in the approach to the teaching of the same material.
Iceline Cyprus
June, 2013 - Apr, 2015
Operations Analyst
I help the company set up and analyze marketing experiments in their retail stores operating in Nicosia, Cyprus. I also assist in analyzing other consumer data and consult in various strategic and financial decisions. I mostly work remotely in a part-time basis, often spending physical time there during summers and winter breaks.
Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Barcelona GSE
September, 2013 - June, 2014
Teaching Assistant
My first experience as a teaching assistant. I was responsible for leading the TA sessions in a class for Cost Accounting and for leading the sessions as well as evaluating the final presentations for a class in consumer behavior.
Center for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, UoN
2011
Research Assistant
My first research experience was as an undergraduate student assisting with the analysis of data from an experiment under Dr. Daniele Nosenzo. Subsequently I was tasked with helping several PhD students in the department on numerous projects (all in the area of experimental economics). My assistance was recognized in this paper.
Cyprus National Guard
2008 - 2010
Sergeant of Infantry and Sapper
Completed my mandatory 24-month military service at the Cyprus National Guard as a sergeant of infantry with the specialty of sapper. As a sergeant of infantry I was the warden of an 8-man outpost near the UN neutral zone in Nicosia where I was responsible for the discipline and well-being of the seven soldiers residing in the outpost.
Where I've been educated
University of Southern California
August, 2015 - December, 2020
Ph.D. in Economics
I joined the department in 2015 as a PhD student. Since then I passed my core examinations at the end of my first year and my qualifying exam in the fist semester of my fourth year. I am now working towards my thesis and job market paper. My main research area is behavioral economics and information economics. During my time I have explored my interdisciplinary interests in Psychology and Computer Science by collaborating with colleagues on projects related to the applications of AI and Machine learning in society.
University of Southern California
May, 2017 - December, 2018
M.S. in Computer Science
I took my first class of Algorithms in the summer of my second year as a PhD student in Economics. It was one of the most interesting class I had ever taken and I was hooked. Since then I kept taking CS classes concurrently to my PhD: Machine learning, Database systems, Foundations of AI, Computational social sciences and AI in society.
Barcelona Graduate School of Economics
September, 2013 - June, 2014
M.S. in Economics
The Barcelona GSE master program in Economics is one of the best preparations in Europe for US-based PhD Economics programs and that’s why I joined – with the goal of getting in a US Econ program. Even though I was subsequently offered a place to stay in their PhD program I elected to keep pushing for a US school. Check out a video of me discussing the program here.
University of Nottingham
September, 2010 - June, 2013
B.S. in Economics
Being interested in both Economics and Psychology as a high school student, it was an easy choice joining Nottingham due to their work in behavioral economics (the beautiful campus helped nudge my decision too!). Academically I took the econometrics route (7 classes), behavioral-experimental and mathematical economics, among others. I achieved a “first-class” degree classification (top 5%). Beyond academics, I was elected as the course representative in two out of my three years there, took an exchange semester abroad, participated in a summer program at the University’s China campus, and was awarded the Nottingham Advantage Award among others. Check out my alumni profile here.
University of New South Wales
May, 2011 - December, 2011
[B.S. Economics] - Exchange semester
Undertook an exchange semester at UNSW in Sydney through the student exchange program as part of the Universitas-21 network. I achieved a “high-distinction” semester grade classification (top classification).
University of Nottingham (Ningbo, China campus)
Summer of 2012
[B.S. Economics] - Summer course in Social Entrepreneurship
Participated in a 3-week summer program for social entrepreneurship at the University of Nottingham’s Ningbo, China campus. In the program we learned about the business environment in China and had to develop a business plan in the spirit of social entrepreneurship for the Chinese market. My team won the first price for the best business idea developed.
Online Learning
2012, 2015
Online Courses
Online learning and MOOCs is an area that excites me. I have followed numerous classes, mostly on programing, but also on various other topics. On a few of such occasions I signed up to receive a certificate. I couldn’t recommend online courses and resources enough for learning and exploring topics of potential interest. If you’re interested check out my “online learning” resource here.
Things I’ve achieved
Jonathan Woetzel Scholarship
2019, 2020
Award for best 3rd year paper
Research funding for winning the “3rd year paper award” at the USC department of economics (together with my classmate Lidan Tan) amongst all the PhD students in my cohort. Awarded by Dornsife-Economics with the generous financial support of McKinsey & Company.
A.G. Leventis Foundation Scholarship
2016 - 2019
Graduate studies support package
Merit-based financial support for Greek or Cypriot students studying abroad for Masters or Doctoral studies. The Foundation’s mission is to impact society, culture and education through a massive portfolio of activities.
Dornsife Graduate Fellowship
2015, 2020
Graduate studies support package
Fellowship awarded for the first (preparation for the core examinations) and last (preparation for the job market) years of the PhD program.
Fulbright Scholarship
2013 (withdrawn)
Financial support for MS studies in the United States
Selected to receive a two-year scholarship from the Fulbright committee in Cyprus for masters studies in the United States. I then opted to withdraw from the scholarship in order to attend a one-year masters program in Spain as a preparation for a US-based PhD program.
Nottingham Advantage Award
2013
Award for extra-curricular involvement
Awarded by the University of Nottingham student’s union as a recognition of extraordinary extra-curricular involvement as a course representative, volunteer for several student union’s campaigns, mentoring of economics students and ambassadorial work abroad.
Social Entrepreneurship Award
2012
Award for the development of business plan
Award by the University of Nottingham, Ningbo-China, for the development of a social entrepreneurship idea that won the competition in the final evaluation of the summer course. The final evaluation was in the style of hypothetical investors (professors and business professionals) who invested in students’ ideas. My team secured, by far, the most hypothetical money from investors.
Silver Development Award
2011, 2013
Award for performance as student course representative
Award from the Student’s Union of the University of Nottingham for my performance as a course representative for the department of economics in two terms (2010-2011, 2012-2013).
Hamil Educational Scholarship
2012
Summer studies support package
Summer studies support package by the University of Nottingham for attending a summer course in social entrepreneurship at the University’s China campus. (see above)
How I have given back
Various Charity Organizations
Summer of 2019
Design and Implementation of Charitable Giving Experiment
Designed and conducted an experiment for my paper “Rolling the Skewed Die: Economic Foundations of the Demand for Skewness” with Suk Lee, Fernando Zapatero and Aleks Giga where participants had the opportunity to achieve a $25 donation to one of six charity organizations of their choice. The available charities were: “Make-A-Wish“, “Amnesty International“, “Greenpeace“, “American Civil Liberties Union“, “World Wildlife Fund“, “The Salvation Army“. The experiments were run at the Marshall Behavioral Research Lab and in total we were able to collect donations of more than $400. Check out the paper here.
International Volunteer HQ
Summer of 2013
Volunteer - Temple reconstruction, English teaching, Fundraising
Participated in a month-long volunteering program in Sri Lanka with “International Volunteer HQ”. I helped with English teaching to Buddhist monks and temple reconstruction work during my first week (city of Kandy), English teaching to kids in a tribal village in the jungle (Dambana village) during my second week and again English teaching and temple reconstruction in the city of Ambalangoda during my third week.
Charity: Water, Project: The waterboy express
Summer of 2013
Fundraising through a 2,000 Km cycling challenge
Together with my friend from school, Ahmed Mashadani, we engaged in a physical challenge in order to raise awareness and funds for clean water provision in Africa. The challenge was to take a water bottle from the campus of our university at Nottingham to Morocco using two used bikes we bought from a local store. For this challenge we partnered with Charity: Water, an organization working towards providing clean water in areas of Africa where this invaluable resource is a scarcity. Our initiative gained a lot of attention of the local media at the time. See here.
University of Nottingham - Student's Union
2012 - 2013
Volunteer - Awareness raising
Participated in three promoting events put together by the Students’ Union of the University of Nottingham where we gave out flyers and discussed various sensitive matters with passing by students of the university.
Iceline Cyprus - Food Distribution Program
Twice per year since 2011
Volunteer - Organizer and helper
A semiyearly event (Christmas and Easter) where we put together food, drink and home-product packages from the massive selection of the products that Iceline Cyprus retails in Cyprus. The packages are made in a way as to match the holiday spirit of the specific period of time. We then partner with a local organization (usually local churches in the Latsia-Yeri area) and distribute to families in need.
XIII Games of the Small States of Europe
Summer of 2009
Volunteer - Various responsibilities
Volunteered for assistance before and during the games which in 2009 were held in Cyprus. Some of my responsibilities included to drive and accompany officials and athletes to and from games as well as social events and to assist with the smooth running and coordination of various events.
Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society
2005 - 2008
Volunteer - Promoter and Fundraiser
My first volunteering experience was during high school as part of a partnership program of my high school (The Grammar School, Nicosia) and the Cyprus Anti-Cancer Society. My responsibility was to sell raffle tickets and promote various charitable events of the society at various times during a three-year period.
Get in touch
Please do get in touch if you have any questions or concerns. I’m glad to discuss new ideas and suggestions for research or other work. Shoot me an email, text me on skype or write your message in the box below. I’ll get back to you as soon as time permits.
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