A question that anyone could have when applying for a master degree, particularly in a different country, is likely to be, “What am I going to get out of this?” It is difficult to foresee your future and estimate the long-term outcome of your decisions. For this reason, it is rewarding to see that your efforts came through and thank people who helped you on your way.

As aptly put forth by Sir Isaac Newton: “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. The academic guidance and support I received as part of the CSiS program was exemplary.Coming from a Physics background, I felt very excited about the opportunity that by attending this program I would be able to gain a deep understanding of various mathematical methods and their applications in Finance. Here, I gained expertise in simulation and optimization techniques, stochastic calculus, financial mathematics, statistical data analysis and discrete mathematics.

The topic of my thesis was “Numerical Pricing and Risk Management of Energy Commodities Derivatives” and the aim was to study pricing and hedging strategies of energy derivatives (Options, forwards, futures) using single and multi-factor pricing models. A good understanding of the stochastic price dynamics was required for these purposes.

In parallel to my studies, I was working at E.ON Global Commodities SE as a working student. This naturally drew me towards a career in the energy industry and a European dominant E.ON SE.