Barone, Dr Gaia

Vice Dean of Business and Associate Professor of Economics and Finance

01 449 8641

gaia.barone@ncirl.ie

Key Responsibilities at NCI

  • Programme Director – MSc in Finance, Sep. 2019 to Sep. 2025.
  • Chair, “Derivatives and Risk Management” (MSc), Jan. 2021 to Sep. 2025.
  • Chair, “Portfolio Management” (MSc), Jan. 2021 to Sep. 2025.
  • Chair, “Mathematics for Business and Finance” (B.A.), Sep. 2020 to Sep. 2025.
  • Chair, “Introduction to Financial Markets” (B.A.), Jan. 2019 to Sep. 2025.
  • Chair, “Derivatives and Risk Management” (B.A.), Sep. 2018 to Sep. 2025.
  • Assistant Professor - Economics and Finance, Sep. 2018 to Jun. 2025.
  • Chair, “Economics for Management” (MSc), Jan. 2019 to Aug. 2020.
  • Chair, “Economics” (MSc), Sep. 2018 to Aug. 2020.
     

Education

  • PhD in Money and Finance at “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, Rome, October 2007 - July 2011. Dissertation: “An Equity-Based Credit Risk Model”. Supervisor: Prof. Domenico Cuoco (Wharton School - University of Pennsylvania). Final mark: outstanding. Graduation date: July 22, 2011.
  • MSc in Financial Mathematics at Stanford University - Departments of Mathematics, Statistics, Economics, Management Science & Engineering, Graduate School of Business (finmath.stanford.edu), Stanford, 2008-9. Overall GPA 3.8/4.0 (13 courses, 46 units). Graduation date: June 14, 2009.
  • MSc in Economics and Finance, “LUISS-Guido Carli” University, Rome, 2005-7. No. of exams: 16. Av. mark: 30/30 (4 cum laude). Thesis: “Arbitrages and Arrow-Debreu Prices” (Advisor: Prof. Gennaro Olivieri). Degree’s final mark: 110/110 cum laude (with special mention). Graduation date: July 26, 2007.
  • BSc in Economics of Capital Markets and Financial Intermediaries, “LUISS-Guido Carli” University, Rome, 2002-5. No. of exams: 28. Av. mark: 29.9 (10 cum laude). Thesis: “Arbitrages and Garman’s Algebra” (Advisor: Prof. Gennaro Olivieri). Degree’s final mark: 110/110 cum laude. Graduation date: July 18, 2005.
  • Erasmus Programme, Cass Business School - City University London, Oct. 2004 - Jan. 2005, 5 Courses in finance (overall GPA 4.0/4.0).
     

Academic Experience

“LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome, Dpt. of Business and Management

  • Assistant Professor - Mathematical Methods for Economics, 2014-18.
  • Chair, “Quantitative Methods for Management”, 2017-18.
  • Chair, “Financial Mathematics”, 2015-18.
  • Chair, “Advanced Financial Mathematics”, 2014-18.
  • Chair, “Financial Mathematics, online course for eLearning”, 2016
  • Research Fellow - Structural Models for Credit Risk Management, 2013-14.
  • Adjunct Professor - Advanced Financial Mathematics, 2013-14.
  • Adjunct Professor - Economics of Banking Institutions, 2012-13.

“LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome, Dpt. of Economics and Finance

  • Teaching Assistant - Financial Mathematics (Prof. Gennaro Olivieri), 2007-18.
  • Teaching Assistant - Advanced Financial Mathematics (Prof. Gennaro Olivieri), 2010-18.
  • Tutor - Erasmus Program, 2005-06.

European University of Rome, Department of Economics

  • Teaching Assistant - Mathematical Methods for Economics (Prof. Maria Sole Staffa), 2010-16.

LUMSA University of Rome, Dpt. of Economics, Politics and Modern Languages

  • Teaching Assistant - Financial Mathematics (Prof. Gabriella Foschini), 2015-16.

Stanford University, Department of Statistics

  • Grader - Statistical Methods (Prof. John Boik)

Awards

  • “DIM LUISS-Guido Carli” 3-year Research Fellowship (€ 19,000 p.a.), 2012-14.
  • “DEF LUISS-Guido Carli” 1-year Research Fellowship (€ 19,000), 2012.
  • “Angelo Costa” thesis prize (publication of the 5 most deserving papers), 2008.
  • “LUISS-Guido Carli” scholarship for graduate studies abroad (€ 25,000), 2008.
  • “Oddone Fantini” thesis prize (€ 2,200), 2008.
  • “ASSIOM” thesis prize (€ 500), 2006.
  • “Marco Fanno” thesis prize (€ 1,000), 2006.
  • “Socrates/Erasmus” Scholarship (tuition-fee waiver), 2004-05.

Honours

  • Final mark Outstanding, PhD in Money and Finance (“Tor Vergata” University of Rome), 2011.
  • Ranked 3rd-8th in the competition for 2 “Giorgio Mortara” scholarships (Bank of Italy), 2008-09 & 2009-10.
  • Ranked 3rd-8th in the competition for 2 “Giovanna Crivelli” scholarships (Unicredit Group), 2008-09.
  • Magna cum laude graduation with special mention - MSc in Economics and Finance (“LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome), 2007.
  • Magna cum laude graduation - BSc in Economics of Capital Markets and Financial Intermediaries (“LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome), 2005.

Biography

  • Dr Gaia Barone is an Associate Professor in Economics and Finance and Vice Dean of Business for the School of Business and Social Sciences at National College of Ireland. She has been Programme Director for the MSc in Finance (2019-2025).
  • Her current research interest focuses on Credit Risk Models.
  • Before June 2025, Gaia Barone was an Assistant Professor in Economics and Finance at the National College of Ireland, where she held several teaching and program responsibilities since 2018.
  • Before joining NCI, Gaia Barone was an Assistant Professor in “Mathematical Methods for Economics”, and Chair of “Financial Mathematics” and “Quantitative Methods for Management” at “LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome.
  • She joined the Aspen Institute, as a Junior Fellow, in December 2016.
  • She has been Chair of “Advanced Financial Mathematics” (2014-17), Research Fellow in “Structural Models for Credit Risk Management” (2013-14), Adjunct Professor of “Advanced Financial Mathematics” (2013-14), and Adjunct Professor of “Economics of Banking Institutions” (2012-13) at “LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome.
  • She has also been a Teaching Assistant in Financial Mathematics at LUMSA University of Rome (2015-16) and at the European University of Rome (2010-16).
  • In July 2011 she received her PhD in Money and Finance (final mark: Outstanding) from “Tor Vergata” University of Rome, with a dissertation on “An Equity-Based Credit Risk Model” (Supervisor: Prof. Domenico Cuoco - Wharton).
  • In July 2007 and July 2005 she received her MSc in Economics and Finance (Summa Cum Laude with Special Mention, average mark 30.0/30 - 4 cum laude) and her BSc in Economics of Capital Markets and Financial Intermediaries (Summa Cum Laude, average mark 29.9/30 - 10 cum laude) from “LUISS-Guido Carli” University of Rome, with theses on “Arbitrages and Arrow-Debreu Prices” and “Arbitrages and Garman’s Algebra” (Advisor: Prof. Gennaro Olivieri).
  • She was awarded four thesis prizes (the “Angelo Costa” prize in 2010, the “Oddone Fantini” prize in 2008, the “Marco Fanno” prize in 2006, the “ASSIOM” prize in 2006).
  • She has written two books on Arbitrages, has published in international journals of economics and finance (International Journal on Natural Language Computing, Journal of Credit Risk, Journal of Derivatives, Rivista di Politica Economica), and has contributed to a book on Derivatives − Securities Pricing and Modelling.
     

Research Interests

  • Credit Risk Models
  • Arbitrages
  • Derivatives Pricing
  • Structural Models in Finance

Professional Body Membership

  • "LUISS-Guido Carli" Alumni Network, from 2007
  • Aspen Institute - Aspen Junior Fellow (AJF), from 2016. 
  • Stanford Alumni Network, from 2009. 

Research Publications

Journal Articles

Book Chapters

  • Barone, Gaia (2012) "An Equity-Based Credit Risk Model". In: Derivative Securities Pricing and Modelling. Contemporary Studies in Economic and Financial Analysis (94). Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 351-378. ISBN 9781780526164.

Books

Conference Papers

Research Papers

Research Projects

  • Banking Irregularities, Luiss Valore, from 2016; 
  • Analysis of the Market of Compulsory Third-Party Insurance for Sector V, Confindustria (Associazione Nazionale Ciclo Motociclo Accessori), 2013-14;
  • Supplementary Pension Plans, Ministry of Economy and Finance, 2010-14. 

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