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

Mary Ann Bates speaking behind a podium with MIT and J-PAL logos in the background

Mary Ann Bates, J-PAL ‘21, on shaping the use of data and evidence in federal and state government

This installment of our Alumni Spotlight series features Mary Ann Bates, former executive director of J-PAL North America, and currently the executive director of the State of California’s Cradle-to-Career System.
A grid of headshots of the 34 alumni who have participated in our feature series.

Reflecting on our global alumni community

We celebrate our alumni and their many interests and achievements through an ongoing series of interviews and blogs in which alumni share their work in their own words. Marking the third year of this documentation project, we're highlighting the 34 remarkable individuals we’ve interviewed to date to...
Rahma stands in front of a screen

Rahma Ali, J-PAL ‘21, on bringing together statistics and purpose for development research

Rahma Ali is a former research manager at J-PAL Middle East and North Africa, where she was at the forefront of establishing the office’s research operations in Egypt and pushing forward randomized evaluations on employment and livelihood generation in the country. Now at Global TIES for Children at...
Headshot of John Tebes in a suit in front of a brick wall

John Tebes, J-PAL ’16, on using economic research to reduce inequality in the United States

By
John Tebes is a former research analyst for Amy Finkelstein at J-PAL North America. Now, as an economics PhD candidate at Harvard and an incoming Assistant Research Professor of Economics at Notre Dame, he researches how public policy can exacerbate or mitigate U.S. poverty traps. He reflects on his...
A woman speaks into a microphone while standing in front of a crowd and a banner that reads "Gender Sector Launch"

Alumni Voices: A perennial student

As the former director of Policy, Training and Communications at J-PAL South Asia, Shagun Sabarwal '21 was instrumental to pushing forward J-PAL's mission of evidence-based policymaking in India and expanding our portfolio of scale-ups and state partnerships. Now leading WomenLift Health’s efforts...
Francisca stands next to a chalkboard behind a group of young children

Francisca de Iruarrizaga, J-PAL ‘13, on reforming Chile’s child welfare system

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Francisca de Iruarrizaga is a former policy and training manager at J-PAL LAC, where she worked to increase the use of evidence in Latin American policymaking and train policymakers in evidence generation and use. Formerly of the Chilean Ministry of Social Development prior to J-PAL, Francisca...
Andrea stands in front of a posterboard, looking back at equations she has just written on it

Andrea Adhi, J-PAL ’19, on using interdisciplinary research to support Indonesia’s most vulnerable during Covid-19

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Andrea Adhi is a former research manager at J-PAL Southeast Asia, where she managed randomized evaluations on branchless banking, migration, and more. Now at PUSKAPA, the Center on Child Protection and Wellbeing at Universitas Indonesia, Andrea leads their team focused on social inclusion and...
Headshots of Abhilasha and Amber

Alumni working together: Abhilasha Purwar ‘15 and Amber Luong ‘15 on the need for disruptive innovation to fight climate change

Amber Luong and Abhilasha Purwar first met on a J-PAL South Asia research team. Abhilasha has since co-founded Blue Sky Analytics, a climate tech startup, and Amber is now head of partnerships at Blue Sky. Read their story in our latest alumni interview.