Main research topics
Optimal taxation, social security
CV
Marco Wysietzki is a PhD candidate at the Cologne Graduate School of Economics (CGS-E). He studied Mathematics and Economics in Bonn and went to Louisiana for a semester abroad before completing his Master of Science at the University of Bonn.
Interview
What is the best thing about your job?
The interplay of academic work and teaching: Not only do I work on advancing my research, but also on how to explain research in a comprehensible way.
If you had not gone into research, what would you be doing today?
Chances are I would work in policy consulting or a government agency that would allow me to have an impact. Before I turned to economics, I studied mathematics and quickly realized that I preferred to concentrate on something more directly relevant to society.
Who or what inspires you?
Explaining my topics to people outside my field of expertise and thus gaining a new perspective.
When was the last time you had to change your mind?
Constantly – I just had to find out that on my recent project, my data differs from what I would have expected.
Which advice would you have needed yourself as a doctoral student?
That research does not follow a linear path. Setbacks are perfectly normal and one has to learn to deal with them.