Muhammad Waqas Khalid

About Me

I am an ambitious and highly motivated economist with a strong academic and professional background. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics, Management and Decision Making at the University of Catania, Italy, my research focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Environmental Economics. I strive to excel in my field through hard work, perseverance, and dedication, with the aim of utilizing my skills productively and contributing meaningfully to both academia and industry.

Education

• Ph.D. in Economics, Management and Decision Making  – University of Catania, Italy (2023 – Present)

• MPhil in Economics  – Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan (2014 – 2016)

Thesis:  Horizontal and Vertical Inequalities across the region & time in Punjab, Pakistan 

• MSc in Economics  – Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Pakistan (2012 – 2014)

Project:   Good Governance as a tool to combat inflation

• BSc in Economics, Statistics, and Mathematics  – University of Punjab, Pakistan (2010 – 2012)

Work Experience

• Visiting Researcher  – Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany (Aug 2025 – Aug 2026)

• Visiting Researcher  – Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Germany (Feb 2025 – Jul 2025)

• Data Analyst (DEO)  – Federal Government of Pakistan, Islamabad (Jul 2020 – Feb 2024)

• Human Resource Officer (OG-III)  – The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Ltd., Rawalpindi (Feb 2017 – Jun 2020)

Skills

• Analytical & Research Skills:  Econometric modeling, statistical analysis, and data-driven policy evaluation

• Software Proficiency:  R, STATA, EViews, SPSS, Tableau, Microsoft Office

• Core Competencies:  Data visualization, decision-making, organizational planning

Certifications & Training

• Data Analytics in Marketing –  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA 

• Data Visualization with Tableau –  University of California, Davis, USA 

• Money Laundering in the 21st Century & Crypto Currency Training -  US Department of Justice  & FBI 

• Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Training (CFT) –  The Institute of Bankers, Pakistan 

• Officers Branch Operations Program -  The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Ltd 

Awards & Scholarships

• Italian Government Scholarship (2023 – 2027)

• Punjab Educational Endowment Fund Scholarship (2012 – 2014)

• National Internship Program – PMAS Arid Agriculture University (2015 – 2016)

Social & Leadership Activities

• Vice President , Barakzai Welfare Movement (2017 – Present)

  • Project planning, execution, and evaluation

  • Policy development and implementation for community welfare