Maria Del Rio-Chanona

Maria Del Rio-Chanona is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at University College London, where she conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of economics, computer science, and complex systems. Her academic journey began with a BSc in Physics from UNAM, Mexico, followed by a DPhil in Mathematics from the University of Oxford, where she was part of the Complexity Economics group at the Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School.

Her research spans multiple critical domains including network science, machine learning, large language models, and agent-based modeling, with applications to the future of work, net-zero transition economics, and the economic impacts of both AI and the Covid-19 pandemic. She has developed innovative methodologies that integrate economic and epidemic models, created data-driven network models of labor markets, and pioneered the use of large language models for economic analysis and historical benchmarking.

Dr. Del Rio-Chanona's recent work demonstrates a clear trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated applications of AI in economic modeling, with significant contributions to understanding how generative AI reshapes freelance markets, how LLMs can model financial market behavior, and how to assess AI's capabilities through historical knowledge benchmarks. Her research shows consistent growth in methodological sophistication, moving from traditional economic modeling toward cutting-edge AI applications.

• JSMF Research Fellow at Complexity Science Hub, Vienna
• Visiting Scholar at Harvard Kennedy School's Growth Lab
• Collaborator with International Monetary Fund and International Labour Organisation

She actively supervises PhD students in computer science with research projects focused on AI, networks, and economic modeling. Her work has been supported by multiple research grants, including projects modeling well-being impacts of natural disasters and analyzing employment dynamics during rapid decarbonization. She maintains active research collaborations across institutions including the Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Harvard Growth Lab, and Oxford Martin School.