Ali Darudi holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Basel, building on earlier degrees in Power Engineering. 

As a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Basel and later as a scientific researcher at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), he contributed to several national research programs, including SCCER CREST, SWEET EDGE, SWEET PATHFINDER, and various EWG programmes. 

His main interests include energy market modeling, storage needs, robust energy system planning, market mechanisms, and tariff design. At the ESC, he will lead the technical development of the Nexus-e energy system modeling platform, focusing on integrating economic perspectives and supporting research on future energy policy.