Ansgar is an applied microeconomic theorist, who uses game theory to address questions such as: What are the incentive effects of laws? What does a seller's optimal choice of selling mechanism depend on? When people form groups to engage in economic activities, how will these groups look like in equilibrium, and is this good or bad for society? His research has been published in leading economic journals such as the Journal of Public Economics, the Journal of Urban Economics, the Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization or Economic Theory, and funded by organisations such as the British Academy or the Food Standards Agency.

Ansgar completed his PhD at the University of Heidelberg in 2002 and has held academic positions in Auckland, Aachen, Bonn, Portsmouth and Swansea, before joining IBSS in August 2026. Beyond his role at XJTLU, he is currently an Associate Editor at Economic Issues, a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Vegan Society, and a Honorary Research Fellow at Swansea University.