Invited Researchers

Invited researchers are an important element of J-PAL’s effort to increase the number of high-quality randomized evaluations providing actionable insights on the most effective approaches to reduce poverty and improve lives worldwide. The more than 550 invited researchers in the J-PAL network are eligible to apply for funding from J-PAL or work with a J-PAL regional office to implement their evaluation. 

Learn more about invited researchers

Like J-PAL affiliated professors, invited researchers are also professors based at academic institutions where freedom to publish results is protected. Invited researchers typically have less experience than affiliated professors in carrying out randomized evaluations. By joining J-PAL as an invited researcher, they become eligible for a three-year term to apply for funding from a specific J-PAL initiative(s) or to work with a specific J-PAL regional office to implement their research project, opening doors to gaining this experience—often in partnership with a J-PAL affiliated professor. 

We seek to recruit invited researchers from universities around the world, with particular emphasis on individuals from or based in a low- or middle-income country. In expanding our invited researcher program, we seek to build diverse networks of researchers around the world who are carrying out randomized evaluations, crowd in subject-matter expertise to J-PAL initiatives, and help researchers strengthen their research portfolio and advance their careers. 

Some invited researchers previously served as post-doctoral associates with J-PAL or members of our affiliate network, or participated in one of J-PAL’s Regional Scholars programs. Many invited researchers go on to become J-PAL affiliated professors; in 2022, 92% of our new affiliates were previously invited researchers.

Invited researcher criteria

Invited researchers typically have less experience carrying out randomized evaluations than affiliates and are invited to either a specific J-PAL initiative(s) or a specific J-PAL regional office. Invited researchers to a J-PAL initiative are eligible to apply for funding from that initiative. Invited researchers to a J-PAL regional office are eligible to contract with that regional office to carry out field research.

Like J-PAL affiliates, invited researchers should be currently affiliated with a university or its equivalent, where academic freedom to publish results is protected, either as a professor or as a principal investigator. Researchers working at funding and implementing organizations (e.g. the World Bank, ADB or IDB) are not eligible to become invited researchers because of potential conflicts. 

Due to limits on research funding and staff capacity, we can only add a limited number of researchers to each initiative or office every year. Eligible invited researchers are identified through an extensive annual centralized search process, nominated quarterly by initiative co-chairs or regional scientific directors, or through an annual self-nomination process (see below). Final selections are made by a committee of J-PAL affiliates.

Self-nomination form

The 2024 self-nomination application to become a J-PAL invited researcher is closed as of August 1, 2024. Applications are under review by J-PAL’s Invited Researcher Selection Committee, and decision notifications will be sent to applicants by late November 2024.

Future applicants: Please check back at this page for information on the 2025 self-nomination period. To be eligible for consideration as a J-PAL invited researcher, researchers must meet the criteria noted above, and must provide the following as part of their self-nomination:

  • CV
  • Two publications in peer-reviewed journals
  • Proof of PhD degree in economics or related quantitative discipline
  • Proof of affiliation to and independent PI status at a university
  • Brief personal statement detailing training, experience running RCTs or interest in doing so in the future, and research interests
  • A reference letter from a J-PAL affiliate, your department chair, or another senior academic

Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Additional information on active Invited Researchers' eligibility

Use the filters below to identify all active Invited Researchers that are associated with each J-PAL initiative and regional office. Alternatively, download this PDF listing all Invited Researchers are their eligible initiatives and regional offices.

All invited researchers are eligible for the following initiatives and regional offices:

  • Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI)
  • Crime and Violence Initiative (CVI)
  • Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative (DAISI)
  • Digital Identification and Finance Initiative (DigiFI)
  • Displaced Livelihoods Initiative (DLI)
  • European Social Inclusion Initiative (ESII)
  • Gender and Economic Agency Initiative (GEA)
  • Governance Initiative (GI)
  • Humanitarian Protection Initiative (HPI)
  • Innovation In Government Initiative (IGI)
  • Jobs and Opportunity Initiative Brazil (JOI BR)
  • Jobs and Opportunity Initiative Global (JOI GL)
  • Learning for All Initiative (LAI)
  • Science for Progress Initiative (SfPI)
  • J-PAL Africa
  • J-PAL Europe
  • J-PAL Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
  • J-PAL South Asia

Please note that when a researcher is eligible to work with a regional office, they are eligible for all of the initiatives housed at that office.

Explore Invited Researchers

Tarek Ghani

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Washington University in Saint Louis

Selene Ghisolfi

J-PAL title
Economics Assistant Professor
Organization Name
LEAP - Bocconi University

Chloe Gibbs

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of Notre Dame

Yvonne Giesing

J-PAL title
Junior Faculty Member
Organization Name
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)

Donna Ginther

J-PAL title
Roy A. Roberts & Regents Distinguished Professor of Economics Director, Institute for Policy & Social Research
Organization Name
University of Kansas

Michela Giorcelli

J-PAL title
Associate Professor (with tenure)
Organization Name
University of California, Los Angeles

Britta Glennon

Organization Name
University of Pennsylvania

Sharad Goel

J-PAL title
Professor of Public Policy
Organization Name
Harvard Kennedy School

Miriam Golden

J-PAL title
Peter Mair Chair in Comparative Politics
Organization Name
European University Institute

Jacob Goldin

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Law
Organization Name
Stanford Law School

Rebecca Goldstein

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor of Law
Organization Name
University of California, Berkeley

Gustavo Gonzaga

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)

Ada Gonzalez-Torres

J-PAL title
Lecturer (Assistant Professor)
Organization Name
Ben-Gurion University of Negev

Juanita Gonzalez-Uribe

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

Joshua Goodman

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Boston University (BU)

Jessica Gottlieb

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University of Houston

Joshua Gottlieb

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
The University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy

Ingrid Gould Ellen

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
New York University

Joshua Graff Zivin

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics
Organization Name
UC San Diego School of International Relations and Pacific Studies

Christina Gravert

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University of Copenhagen

John Graves

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Vanderbilt University

Gustaf Gredeback

J-PAL title
Professor of Psychology
Organization Name
Uppsala University

Julien Grenet

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
Paris School of Economics (PSE)

Tal Gross

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Boston University (BU)

Guy Grossman

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
University of Pennsylvania

Tomás Guanziroli

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio)

Andrea Guariso

J-PAL title
Senior Assistant Professor of Economics
Organization Name
University of Milan-Bicocca

Catherine Guirkinger

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics
Organization Name
Centre de recherche en economie du developpement (CRED)

Saad Gulzar

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Princeton University

Apoorv Gupta

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor of Economics
Organization Name
Dartmouth College

Jorge Guzman

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Business
Organization Name
columbia University

Nick Hagerty

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Montana State University (MSU)

Kareem Haggag

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of California, Los Angeles

Jens Hainmueller

J-PAL title
Full Professor
Organization Name
Stanford University

Alin Halimatussadiah

J-PAL title
Lecturer
Organization Name
University of Indonesia (UI)

Joan Hamory

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Economics
Organization Name
University of Oklahoma

Ben Handel

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of California, Berkeley

Dominik Hangartner

J-PAL title
Professor of Public Policy
Organization Name
ETH Zurich

Benjamin Hansen

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University of Oregon

Nina Harari

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor in Real Estate
Organization Name
University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business

Emma Harrington

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of Virginia

Alexandra Hartman

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University College London (UCL)

Sharique Hasan

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Strategy
Organization Name
Duke University

Justine Hastings

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics and International and Public Affairs
Organization Name
Brown University

Misty Heggeness

J-PAL title
Associate Professor; Associate Research Scientist, Institute for Policy and Social Research
Organization Name
University of Kansas

Lukas Hensel

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Peking University

Maria Hernandez de Benito

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of Alicante

Sara Hernández-Saborit

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Northwestern University Department of Economics