Maren Ludwig, alumna of Erasmus School of Economics, has been awarded with the ECB Scholarship for Women. Together with Claris Parenti, alumna of Rotterdam School of Management, she is among the 15 selected women out of 300 applicants from all over Europe to receive this scholarship. With the scholarship, Maren continues her studies in London, where she currently pursues the MSc Environmental Economics and Climate Change
After completing the Double bachelor BSc² in Econometrics and Economics at Erasmus School of Economics, Maren decided to pursue her academic journey in London with a master’s programme in Environmental Economics and Climate Change.
Only fifteen women could receive such a scholarship. What does it mean for you to be one of those recipients?
‘Being among the recipients is a great honour, and I am very thankful for the financial support of the scholarship that helps me focus on my Master’s here in London. It is naturally thrilling to be among the selected women from all over Europe, and I am very much looking forward to meeting the other recipients during our visit to the ECB. I think the fact that two out of fifteen scholars this year are Erasmus alumni also says a great deal about the quality of education at EUR. It shows that the university enjoys great recognition Europe-wide and that the background we get at Erasmus can open doors.’
Looking at your masters in Environmental Economics and Climate Change, what is the most exciting thing about it?
‘Having studied Econometrics and Economics in my Bachelor, I come from a rather quantitative background and wanted to apply these skills to a field of great social relevance. Indubitably, the fight against climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face now and in the future. To tackle this challenge, not only climate models from physicists are needed but also economic and econometric evaluations of, for instance, climate change mitigating policies or the socio-economic impacts of environmental change.
The relevance and interdisciplinarity of the field are what I find most exciting about it and what motivated me to choose this master. Already during my first couple weeks at LSE, it became apparent to me what a rapidly growing and diverse field environmental economics is, both in terms of impact and career prospects. The quantitative and qualitative skills we learn at Erasmus School of Economics can definitely be used to study environmental change and how it affects all of us. I hope that many students choose a similar career path in the future and that Erasmus School of Economics will give students more opportunities to study the interaction of economic and environmental processes. ’
To any young or upcoming students, not necessarily women: is there anything you would like to say to them?
‘Don’t self-select yourself out of opportunities! I almost made that mistake before applying, since I had doubted if I would have a chance of getting the scholarship. Even though I do not necessarily see myself working in central banking, I decided to give it a shot and am very happy I did. And to all the female students at EUR: I strongly encourage you to apply for the scholarship next year and see where it leads.’