Estefania Vergara Cobos, Ph.D.

Qualifications and Skills

• Ph.D. in Economics with 10 years of experience in quantitative economic research and policy analysis, specializing in development

• Experience leading complex research projects, with publications in peer-reviewed journals, and authorship of the book Cybersecurity Economics for Emerging Markets

• Expertise in Econometrics, Machine Learning, programming, and academic background in Computer Science

• 5 years of experience as an Adjunct Lecturer at Santa Clara University - California, Stony Brook University, and the University of the Americas, instructing both graduate and undergraduate economics courses

• Fluent in English and Spanish; advanced French; beginner-level Arabic and Chinese

• Strong communication skills with a proven track record in public speaking

Work Experience

Economist (October 2021 - Present)

Chief Economist’s Office for the Infrastructure VP. The World Bank. Washington D.C.

Lead and deliver original research across economic development topics—especially digital development and infrastructure digitalization—by authoring research papers, flagship reports, policy briefs, and blogs. Contribute to high-profile analytical products under the Infrastructure Vice Presidency, support operational teams with timely analytical inputs, and oversee consultants and academic partners to ensure rigorous, policy-relevant outcomes. Regularly support senior leadership in preparing for high-level talks, strategic briefs, and policy engagements with clients and partners.

Short Term Consultant (March 2020 – October 2021)

Digital Transformation Vice Presidency, The World Bank. Washington D.C.

Conceptualization and preparation of studies regarding the welfare effects of digitalization and telecom competition in Sub-Saharan Africa. Support management in engagements related to the digital development agenda.

Adjunct Lecturer (August 2019 – January 2021)

Santa Clara University, California.

    Taught Econometrics in the Master of Science in Business Analytics program.

Universidad de las America, Quito – Ecuador.

    Taught Econometrics in the Master’s in Economics program.

Instructor, Graduate Research Assistant, and Teaching Assistant (2015 – 2019)

Stony Brook University, New York.

Taught Microeconomic Theory, Industrial Organization, Introduction to Economics, and Health Economics while contributing to an NIH-funded project analyzing survey data to identify predictors of mortality in populations with Serious Mental Illness.

Education

Ph.D. in Economics, Stony Brook University, 2014-2020.

• Thesis: Modeling the impact of technological disruption in the NYC taxicab market.

• Additional PhD-level Computer Science coursework: Python for Scientific Computing, Analysis of Algorithms, Discrete Mathematics, Numerical Methods for Physics and Astrophysics, Advanced C++, and Machine Learning.

Master of Arts in Economics with concentration in Game Theory, Stony Brook University, 2012-2014.

B.A. in Economics, double diploma from Pierre-Mendes University, France, and Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador, 2008-2012.

Selected Publications

• Vergara Cobos, Estefania. Cybersecurity Economics for Emerging Markets. The World Bank Group, 2024.

• Liu, T., Vergara‐Cobos, E., & Zhou, Y. (2019). Pricing schemes and seller fraud: Evidence from New York city taxi rides. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 67(1), 56-90.

• Vergara Cobos, E. and Malasquez, E.A., 2025. The welfare effects of telecom competition in Sub-Saharan Africa. The World Bank (under review).

• Vergara-Cobos, E.B., 2020. Learning from Disruption. The New York City Taxicab Market Case (Doctoral dissertation, State University of New York at Stony Brook).

• Vergara-Cobos, E., 2021. High Broadband Prices and Limited Offerings Constraining Data Use by SMEs. Unpublished background note, Banque Mondiale, Washington, DC.

• Vergara Cobos, E. and Malasquez, E.A., 2023. Growth and Transformative Effects of ICT Adoption: A Survey. The World Bank.

• Foster, Vivien and Vergara Cobos, Estefania and Oughton, Edward and Cantu, Catalina and Calderon, Cesar A., The Social Rate of Return of Mobile Broadband Infrastructure Investment (August 2, 2023). Available at SSRN.

Fellowships, Scholarships, and Awards

• World Bank, VPU Team Awards, 2023.

• Graduate Fellowship, Stony Brook University, 2014-2020

• Distinguished Travel Award, Stony Brook University, 2019

• Finalist - Stony Brook University 3 Minutes Thesis Competition, 2018

• Yachay EP Scholarship for International Conference Presentation, 2015

• Senescyt International Scholarship for Graduate Studies, 2012-2014

• Undergraduate Research Fellowship, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, 2010-2012

Certificates and Skills

• Graphic design: Adobe 

• Data Science and Big Data Analytics: Making Data Driven Decisions, MIT XPro

• Expertise in handling complex datasets, including GPS tracks, rasters, and surveys,

• Expertise in R, Stata, Python, SQL, MATLAB, QGIS, C++, and Arduino.