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News, ideas, and analysis from J-PAL staff and affiliated professors. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive monthly email updates.

Cars and trucks drive on a highway in a city surrounded by smog

Evaluating effectiveness and equity in climate mitigation and transportation policy: A webinar recap

In December 2023, J-PAL North America’s Leveraging Evaluation and Evidence for Equitable Recovery (LEVER) program hosted a webinar in collaboration with Results for America highlighting how state and local jurisdictions can use randomized evaluation to accelerate climate action and tap into federal...
Children sitting in front of computers

J-PAL North America joins the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute to improve math outcomes for middle school students

In October 2023, J-PAL North America joined the Learning Engineering Virtual Institute to support organizations evaluating learning products that harness AI and machine learning to improve middle school math achievement.
Paul Niehaus speaking into a microphone

Rigorously evaluating cash transfer programs in the United States: Perspectives from other contexts

J-PAL affiliated researcher Paul Niehaus (UC San Diego) shares his perspective on studies of cash transfers in low- and middle-income countries and on how the United States can learn from other contexts.
A man smiling.

Leonardo Shibata, J-PAL LAC '16, on the evolution of impact evaluation in Brazil

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In our Alumni Spotlight series, we explore the journeys of former J-PAL members who have continued to contribute to policy and research in various fields. Leonardo Shibata, a former J-PAL LAC Research and Training Manager in Brazil, now works at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). He reflects...
Esther Duflo, J-PAL co-founder and director and professor at MIT, with Julie Cobill, ESG and corporate partnerships lead at J-PAL, during the keynote dialogue session.

The private sector’s role in worker well-being, sustainability, and inclusive growth: Reflections from researchers and businesses

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What is the role of the private sector in improving the lives and livelihood conditions of workers in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? How can we empower LMIC-based entrepreneurs to develop successful and sustainable businesses? And what are the potential benefits for businesses from...
A man waters his crops.

Using insurance and climate-smart technologies to help farmers cope with weather-based risk

An urgent policy priority, both to increase farmers’ own productivity and profits and to contribute to stabilizing food security throughout these regions, is to provide accessible forms of risk protection. J-PAL’s updated Policy Insight reviews 23 randomized evaluations on common interventions...
From left to right: Kim Desmond, Mary Ann Bates, Elizabeth Linos, and Stan John in panel discussion

Three lessons from J-PAL North America’s ten year convening

Across a breadth of topics covered at J-PAL North America's ten year convening, speakers touched on common themes about how to generate evidence and inform policies effectively and equitably.
From left to right: Esther Duflo and Laura Arnold in conversation

Recapping a conversation between leaders in evidence-based policy making from J-PAL North America’s ten year convening

In this post, we highlight a conversation between Esther Duflo and Laura Arnold from J-PAL North America's ten year convening on building a culture of evidence-based policymaking.