As a senior teaching fellow at Imperial Business School, Dr Ragvir Sabharwal teaches probability, statistics, and econometrics to students on the BSc Economics, Finance and Data Science (EFDS) and MSc Business Analytics programmes. He also serves as Head of Year for the EFDS programme, guiding students through one of Imperial’s first-of-its-kind degree with a uniquely modern curriculum.

From high-dimensional data to classroom impact  

Combining methods from statistics and economics, Dr Sabharwal’s research focuses on developing models that help analyse complex, high-dimensional data over time. His doctoral work in the Department of Statistics at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), funded by the Economic & Social Research Council, advanced methods for estimating dynamic factor models and detecting structural instabilities in large datasets.  

This work contributes both to the theoretical foundations of econometrics and to practical applications in macroeconomic and financial analysis. For example, his research demonstrates how sudden shifts in economic or financial systems can be detected in real-time, enabling models to quickly recalibrate and forecasts to remain accurate even through periods of macroeconomic instability. 

Before moving into academia, Dr Sabharwal worked for several years as a competition economist at a leading economic consultancy, advising on antitrust cases in the UK and Europe. This professional experience grounds his teaching in real-world applications, giving students insight into how econometric and statistical tools are used in practice. 

Dr Sabharwal has developed and delivered a wide range of courses in statistics, econometrics, machine learning, and causal inference, both in-person and online. He has taught students at BSc, MSc and PhD levels. His consistently outstanding teaching evaluations and multiple teaching awards highlight his ability to make complex quantitative concepts accessible and engaging for students from diverse educational backgrounds. 

What excites him most is shaping how students approach data-driven questions early in their studies: “Helping students build strong analytical foundations right from the outset is incredibly rewarding. Rigorous early training will be invaluable in shaping how they’ll approach data-driven decisions throughout their professional lives.” 

An academic journey through economics and statistics 

Dr Sabharwal’s path reflects a deep commitment to both economics and statistics. He obtained two MSc degrees, one in Economics and another in Financial Statistics from LSE, before completing his PhD in Statistics there. His doctoral thesis developed new tools for handling high-dimensional time series data, tackling challenges that traditional models cannot easily address. 

At Imperial, Dr Sabharwal combines his research expertise with his passion for teaching, shaping the next generation of data-savvy economists and analysts. By fostering strong foundations in statistics and econometrics, he aims to prepare students not only to succeed academically but also to become thoughtful, rigorous decision-makers in business, policy and beyond.