Monika Brown

Writer

About

Monika Brown is a freelancer in data visualization. She previously worked as a trader at UBS, Goldman Sachs and several hedge funds before starting a second career in data analysis and data visualization. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, a B.A. from Brown University and, more recently, an M.Sc. in data science and advanced analytics from Nova IMS.

An aerial view of California's Shasta Lake taken in 2024 Research Brief / Global Warming

The New Math for Reservoir Management Amid Climate Change

Sacramento River Basin serves as a test case for conserving water over unpredictable weather cycles

A graph of the U.S. dollar index Research Brief / Currencies

When Exchange Rates Move, U.S. Companies Feel It — Even More Than Previously Thought

Firm-specific export data enables researchers to potentially solve a puzzle in economics

Illustration of a hand holding a bidding panel and a house. Research Brief / Consumer Behavior

People Pay for the Right to Bid — and Then Overbid

Bidders sacrifice a better price to avoid ending up with nothing

Radio tower waves, communication tower on earth Research Brief / Bond Market

One Way the Stock Market Sends Signals to Bond Traders

Thin stock trading, amid both price volatility and a period of potential economic change, leads bond investors to seek a higher yield

Chalkbaord illustration of a group of business people during a boardroom meeting Research Brief / Corporate Investment

The Role of Board-of-Directors Pay in Effective Corporate Investing

A model juggles who should suffer when a project goes awry; job market prospects of the CEO; and the quality of information shared in the boardroom

A woman deposits her vote in a sealed envelope into an official voting ballot box in Washington state. Research Brief / Politics

Prediction Markets + Polls + Economic Indicators: Better Election Forecasting?

A model incorporating markets that allow betting on elections suggests a role in prognostications

A woman hands off cases of drinks to a male volunteer. Research Brief / Management

How Nonprofits Can Better Engage Volunteers

When to allow unpaid workers to call dibs on recurring tasks — and when not to

Covid-19 vaccine vials in a row macro close-up. Research Brief / COVID-19

Should the U.S. Aim for a Zero-COVID-19 Policy?

Tolerating a low level of transmission just might be the better strategy

Blurred image of patients on hospital beds in ICU Research Brief / Health Care

Anticipating Overcrowding Risk in the ICU

A model vastly outperforms predictions based on prior hospital data

Telescopes with sky and clouds Research Brief / Innovation

Maximizing Capacity Utilization of Unique Equipment

An algorithm to reduce telescope repositioning time boosts productivity between 10% and 25%

Tattooed bearded worker in overalls sitting in the storage area of import and export firm interior after having hard day at work. Research Question / Operations

Business Efficiency Needn’t Be the Enemy of Personal and Public Well-Being

Operations managers can take into consideration happiness, equity and sustainability

Colleagues sitting at table in conference room at business meeting. Research Brief / Productivity

The Makeup of Your Team Should Dictate How and When You Have Meetings

Team size and how staffer productivity varies are crucial considerations