Program Director Dr. Brian Efird is the program director for Policy and Decision Science. He manages a multidisciplinary, multi-national team of researchers… Dr. Brian Efird is the program director for Policy and Decision Science. He manages a multidisciplinary, multi-national team of researchers who work on quantitative models of collective decision-making processes (CDMP), geospatial information system applications to energy economics and energy policy, demography and energy, and energy policy studies of countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Dr. Efird is co-editor-in-chief of a new journal from Springer Scientific called Energy Transitions. He was previously a senior research fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.; a consultant on defense and international security matters in Washington; and a consultant applying quantitative models to support corporate, investment banking, and legal negotiations in New York.

Expertise

• Behavioral modeling
• Geopolitics
• Defense and national security studies
• Human geography
• Strategic communication

Research Fellow Paul was a research fellow in the Policy and Decision Sciences program. He is a former journalist and energy market… Paul was a research fellow in the Policy and Decision Sciences program. He is a former journalist and energy market analyst with over 25 years of experience in international energy markets. He opened the first Gulf Cooperation Council bureau for the oil price reporting agency S&P Global Platts in Dubai in 1989 and later launched the first regional office for Argus Media. Paul has attended numerous OPEC meetings and written extensively about the oil industry in publications such as Platts Oilgram News, Argus Global Markets, and the Petroleum Economist. He was also the senior advisor to the Secretary-General at the World Energy Council (WEC).    

Senior Research Associate Imtenan is a senior research associate in KAPSARC’s Policy and Decision Science program with years of experience in the industry… Imtenan is a senior research associate in KAPSARC’s Policy and Decision Science program with years of experience in the industry and the research. She is also leading the research strategic project management activities. Imtenan holds a Master’s degree with distinction in Software engineering and leadership from DePaul University, Chicago, USA. She is a Future Energy Leader at World Energy Council in London.

Expertise

• Data science
• Machine learning
• Industry and entrepreneurship
• Game theory
• Bargaining models
• Behavioral analysis
• Policy assessment
• Geopolitics
• GCC energy policies and economics
• Transition management.