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 illustration of a man at the end of a cliff trying to pull up a coin tied to a string Research Brief / Markets

Options Market Signals Scope of Federal Reserve Interventions

Traders see an implicit promise beyond specific asset purchases

An image of the national debt amount Research Brief / Debt

How Much Debt Can the Government Roll Over Forever?

Public bonds compete against other investments; a model of that relationship

People with luggage standing under an awning waiting for rids next to an Uber sign. Research Brief / Ride-Sharing Services

A Matching Mechanism to Reduce Uber/Lyft Customer Wait, Improve Revenue

Queuing models aren’t simple but offer big potential service improvements

A nest thermostat on the wall reads 25 degrees Research Brief / Energy

Improving Utility Calculations on Energy Demand to Reduce Costs

Power companies haven’t maximized the benefits of customers agreeing to short-term electricity interruptions

A view of a petrochemical plant at night Research Brief / Competition

Sunk Costs Work as Barrier to Exit

Firms endure losses in hopes of a turnaround

A cityscape at sunset overlaid with a grid of lighted network Research Brief / Banking

Banks Transmit Financial Shocks, Including from Natural Disasters

How a localized flood may result in fewer loans to a far-off community

The exterior of a bank in Greece is shown as a man in a blue shirt walks in front of it. Research Brief / Banking

In a Crisis, Solvent Borrowers are Overcharged, Subsidizing Troubled Bank Clients

An unusual data trove from Greece’s economic collapse reveals the practice

The old Continental Illinois building in Chicago Research Brief / Finance

Sorting Out Conflicts of Interest in Commercial Loan Syndicates

Syndicate voting rules reflect varying levels of trust and familiarity

A crowd of people holding numbered range bidding paddles Research Brief / Strategy

What Causes Overbidding in Auctions?

Does it come down to poor valuations or poor strategy?

A white clock on a black background that is dissolving on the right side Research Brief / Data Analytics

Deciding When to Decide Can Lead to Better Outcomes

An interpretable model versus black-box algorithms for complex decision making

A military cargo airplane taxis on a n airbase runway Research Brief / Operations

Improving Airlift Schedules with Algorithms

Splitting complex problems into parts simplifies and greatly speeds the task

Visual illustration of data Research Brief / Investing

A Solution to the Debate over Momentum’s Cause?

Investors may underreact when information arrives in small, continuous bits

Man on bike riding in bike lane on busy street Research Brief / Transportation

A Data-Driven Approach to Optimizing Bike Paths

A model for cities to boost ridership, without snarling car traffic

Illustration of car outline made of parts Research Brief / Manufacturing

Mass Customization Makes Forecasting Parts Purchases a Manufacturer’s Nightmare

A method that establishes a range of needs — and then tightens the range — works better