About Theo Osterhaus

Economist (M.Sc. Candidate) & Data Scientist

Markets & Public Policy

About myself

I am an Economics MSc student at the University of Cologne. My work lies at the intersection of Market Design and Behaviour, behavioural economics, and applied economic policy.

Academic Background

I completed my B.Sc. in Economics at the University of Bonn (2020–2025), ranked #1 in Germany and #41 internationally in the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2024. During my studies, I completed the module "Using Data to Address Societal Challenges" (1.0) under Prof. Teodora Boneva Ph.D. which motivated me to apply data science methods to issues where individual micro-decisions accumulate into significant societal challenges, such as the gender pay gap and intergenerational mobility.

I am currently pursuing my M.Sc. in Economics at the University of Cologne (2025–2027), focusing on Market Design and Behavioural Economics. Across my coursework my work lies at the intersection of econometrics, machine learning, and applied economic policy. I am particularly interested in how data-driven methods can improve causal inference and inform policy decisions in labour markets and other economic environments.

My Bachelor's thesis, "Comparison of Discriminant Analysis and Random Forests in Classification" compares Linear Discriminant Analysis, Quadratic Discriminant Analysis, and Random Forests to evaluate their suitability for binary classification tasks, with a particular focus on predicting diabetes status from physiological and demographic data.

Research Interests

My current research interests include:

  • Behavioural political economy and the design of EU policy instruments
  • Market design and matching mechanisms in regulated markets
  • Applied microeconometrics with a focus on causal inference and policy evaluation
  • Machine learning for causal inference
  • Labour economics & intergenerational mobility

Professional Experience

Alongside my studies, I work as office manager at Christoph Osterhaus Heizung Sanitär (since 2020), where I implement CRM/ERP systems, build Power BI dashboards, and automate processes, alongside supporting financial workflows via DATEV. This has shaped the way I think about bringing data-driven solutions into real organisations, going beyond theory to hands-on application and organisational competence.

Previously, I worked as a ski instructor in Kitzbühel (2024), teaching skiing techniques to students of all ages and skill levels — an experience that strengthened my communication, patience, and ability to adapt explanations to different audiences.