Eirini Nomikou-Lazarou is a Ph.D. candidate under the supervision of Professor Anastasios Xepapadeas in the Department of Economics at Athens University of Economics and Business, where in 2019 she also earned an M.Sc. in Economic Theory. She completed her undergraduate studies in 2017 at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, obtaining a B.Sc. in Economics and Regional Development, and since 2023 holds an M.Sc. in Data Science from The American College of Greece. She is a Research Associate at The Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (FEIR), where she is involved in sectoral studies focusing on Green Transition, Environmental Sustainability, Green Entrepreneurship, and Regional Development. Channeling her academic interests into environmental economics research, Eirini’s doctoral dissertation explores climate risk management strategies, and the impact of climate-related extreme natural incidents on the insurance sector.

As a Fulbright Visiting Research Student during her six-month academic visit, she will collaborate with the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) at Columbia Climate School. Her research will focus on the social and economic impact of extreme floods and wildfires in western United States, investigating complex natural disaster patterns related to climate change and optimal adaptation measures. This project aims to produce a comprehensive comparative case study of California's response to floods and wildfires compared with Greece's response, studying optimal premium pricing models in the infrastructure insurance sector. This exploration seeks to uncover innovative solutions and provide a nuanced understanding of how optimal climate change adaptation measures can mitigate risk for economic damage extremes. The ultimate goal is to contribute not only to the insurance sector but also to the broader local society by fostering resilience and adaptive strategies in response to the rising frequency of catastrophic incidents that are here to stay.