Nikos Askitas

Nikos Askitas serves as Coordinator of Data and Technology at the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) in Bonn, Germany, where he leads both the Research Data Center (IDSC) and ICT unit since joining in 2000. His dual role bridges technical infrastructure management and cutting-edge research in labor economics and social science.

His research spans causal machine learning, epidemic disease modeling, big data analytics, and behavioral macroeconomics, with notable contributions to forecasting methodologies and web-based data applications. He develops novel approaches in opinion dynamics, game theory, and adaptive systems while addressing real-world challenges like pandemic response and technology-labor interactions.

Recent publications reveal a strong trend toward AI-driven economic analysis, particularly examining generative AI's impact on scientific communication and labor markets. His work consistently integrates web data and real-time indicators with traditional economic modeling, emphasizing practical policy applications in consumption tracking, referendum forecasting, and mobility pattern analysis.

His scientific recognition includes:

• CESifo Research Fellow in Economics of Digitisation
• Academic Editor for PLoS ONE (Economics section)

As infrastructure leader, he oversees IZA's research data ecosystem and technological operations, enabling large-scale empirical studies while advancing methodological frontiers through hands-on machine learning pedagogy for social scientists. His current projects focus on GenAI implications, nowcasting techniques, and causal inference frameworks.