Blog

News

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

Headshot of a woman

Nana Okozi, J-PAL ‘16, on managing data from start to finish

We caught up with Nana Okozi, a former project officer at J-PAL Africa. Nana joined J-PAL Africa in 2015 and led training and data collection for many of its research projects. Now a project coordinator at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Nana is helping to coordinate...
A close-up of a man smiling at the camera

Adrien Bouguen, J-PAL ‘12, on his path from research assistant to assistant professor

By
Adrien Bouguen joined J-PAL Europe as a research assistant in 2009, where he played a central role in establishing our then-fledgling European office. Now an assistant professor of economics at Santa Clara University, his research focuses on the economics of education and child development.
A laptop computer screen displays J-PAL's research resources website.

Announcing J-PAL’s newly updated research resources

Structured around the lifecycle of a project, these research resources provide practical guidance on conducting RCTs and include templates, checklists, and concrete advice based on J-PAL’s deep experience implementing field research projects.
A table of panelists face an audience, several of whom are raising hands

Launching J-PAL’s newest regional office in the Middle East and North Africa

J-PAL MENA will support the region’s development priorities, including COVID-19 response and recovery. J-PAL MENA's Scientific Directors and Interim Executive Director lay out their vision for the office in this letter.
Image of a map with dots indicating evaluations.

Marking a milestone: Our most-read evaluations

Over the past seventeen years, J-PAL affiliated professors have collectively conducted more than 1,000 completed and ongoing randomized evaluations. This achievement reflects the tremendous commitment of our affiliated professors, implementing partners, and research staff, alongside the trust of...
A woman in a mask sits typing on a laptop outside

Foundations of ethical and high-quality data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic

There have been many innovations in data collection methods over the past few months to adapt to contactless research. Many research organizations, including J-PAL, have shifted to data collection through phone surveys, as field activities remain halted. As we support and strengthen these...
Women walk down a street wearing face masks

Taking an evidence-informed approach to pandemic response

As the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold worldwide, J-PAL affiliated professors and staff jumped into action to critically analyze the evidence base and work closely with government partners to inform policy decisions with evidence.
Young people in matching t-shirts sort cans.

Mayor de Blasio, bring back summer jobs

There is still time, and it can be done safely. The economic and social payoff is totally worth it. This op-ed was originally posted in the New York Times on June 29, 2020.