Ms. Maha MILI | Agricultural Economics | Young Scientist Award

PhD student, at LEGI – École Polytechnique de Tunisie, Tunisia.

Ms. Maha Mili is a dedicated PhD student in Environmental and Energy Economics with a keen interest in addressing climate change challenges in water-scarce regions. Based in Tunisia, she brings together academic excellence, technical modeling skills, and practical policy insight to explore sustainable solutions for energy transitions. Her research integrates the fields of economics, environmental science, and development policy, contributing to both national and global dialogues on ecological sustainability.

Professional Profile

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🎓 Education

Maha Mili is currently pursuing her PhD in Territories, Migration, and Development with a specialization in Economics from the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) and Faculty of Economics and Management, Nabeul (FSEGN). Her doctoral research focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions under water scarcity through integrated modeling approaches. She holds a Master’s degree in Quantitative Economics and Finance from the Polytechnic School of Tunisia, where she specialized in economic and financial optimization and wrote a thesis on water use efficiency. Prior to that, she earned a Bachelor’s in Business Sciences with a focus on Finance from IHEC Carthage, and a Mathematics Baccalaureate with High Honours from the Secondary School of Jammel.

💼 Experience

Maha has gained valuable professional experience through internships in both consulting and financial sectors. At PwC Tunisia, she contributed to economic modeling projects and policy impact analysis using CGE tools. She also worked as a financial analyst at PBR Rating – CFC Partners, conducting client evaluations and preparing financial certification reports. Additionally, her earlier role at Arab Tunisian Bank (ATB) involved managing client financial support and loan risk assessments, offering her a well-rounded view of economic applications in real-world contexts.

🔬 Research Interests

Her research revolves around climate resilience, ecological transitions, and the sustainable use of natural resources. Specifically, she focuses on the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus, virtual water trade, and the role of green hydrogen in Tunisia’s energy transition. Maha applies Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models and hybrid approaches to simulate and assess energy and water policies under climate constraints. Through her work with the International Center for Environmental and Development Research (CIRED) and LEGI-EPT, she contributes to the development of decision-support tools aimed at guiding equitable and sustainable policy-making.

🏆 Awards

Maha is a recipient of the prestigious PHC-UTIQUE Hubert Curien Partnership Scholarship (2024–2027), which supports her binational research collaboration between Tunisia and France. Her participation in international workshops such as the GIZ Water Master Class, Energy-Economy Modelling Workshops, and IAEA’s EMPOWER model sessions further underscore her active engagement in global knowledge-sharing platforms.

📚 Top Noted Publications

Conclusion

Maha Mili exemplifies the profile of a promising young researcher—analytically skilled, globally aware, and deeply committed to solving some of the most pressing environmental and economic challenges of our time. With her strong academic foundation, practical experience, and visionary research focus, she is well-positioned to make meaningful contributions to sustainable development and climate adaptation policy.