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

In 2023, J-PAL is piloting a self-nomination process for invited researcher status. The self-nomination form will be open through June 30, 2023. In July and August, the Invited Researcher Selection Committee will review nominations and make final decisions. Due to limited research funds and staff capacity, we will only be able to select 20 self-nominated researchers for invited researcher status in 2023. 

 

To be eligible for consideration, researchers must provide the following as part of their self-nomination: 

  •  Link to CV
  • Two publications for consideration by the IRSC
  • 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 from a J-PAL affiliate, your department chair, or another senior academic

The self-nomination form can be accessed here

Current invited researchers who would like to self-nominate to other initiatives or regional offices can do so through the same self-nomination form. We will review those self-nominations on a rolling basis.  

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. In addition, all J-PAL Invited Researchers are eligible to apply for funding from the following initiatives and regional offices:

  • Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI)
  • Digital Agricultural Innovations and Services Initiative (DAISI)
  • Digital Identification and Finance Initiative (DigiFI)
  • 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 South Asia

In 2023, J-PAL piloted a self-nomination process for invited researcher status. The self-nomination form was open through June 30, 2023. The Invited Researcher Selection Committee will review nominations and make final decisions by October. Due to limited research funds and staff capacity, we will only be able to select 20 self-nominated researchers for invited researcher status in 2023. 

To be eligible for consideration, researchers must provide the following as part of their self-nomination: 

  • Link to CV
  • Two publications for consideration by the IRSC
  • 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 from a J-PAL affiliate, your department chair, or another senior academic

The self-nomination form is currently closed. Please check back in 2024 for the next cycle. 

Current invited researchers who would like to self-nominate to other initiatives or regional offices can do so through the same self-nomination form. Please check back in 2024 for the next cycle.  

Explore Invited Researchers

Naci Mocan

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
Louisiana State University

Oswaldo Molina

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Universidad del Pacifico

Teresa Molina-Millán

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of Alicante

Joana Monteiro

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)

Jonathan Morduch

J-PAL title
Professor of Public Policy and Economics
Organization Name
New York University

Ameet Morjaria

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

Salma Mousa

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
UCLA

Andres Moya

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Universidad de los Andes

Raviv Murciano-Goroff

Organization Name
Boston University (BU)

Kyle Myers

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor of Business Administration
Organization Name
Harvard Business School (HBS)

Erica Myers

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University of Calgary

Rebecca Myerson

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Suresh Naidu

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
Columbia University

Ramana Nanda

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Business Administration
Organization Name
Harvard Business School (HBS)

Renata Narita

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics
Organization Name
University of Sao Paulo - FEARP/USP

Joana Naritomi

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

Noah Nathan

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
University of Michigan

Laia Navarro-Sola

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Stockholm University

Mary Naylor

J-PAL title
Director, Professor
Organization Name
University of Pennsylvania

Chima Ndumele

J-PAL title
Associate Professor of Public Health (Health Policy)
Organization Name
Yale University School of Public Health

David Neumark

J-PAL title
Distinguished Professor of Economics
Organization Name
University of California, Irvine

Muthoni Ng'ang'a

J-PAL title
Assistant lecturer
Organization Name
University of Nairobi

Nathan Nunn

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics
Organization Name
UBC

Chaikal Nuryakin

J-PAL title
Program Director of Undergraduate Program in Economics, FEB University of Indonesia; Head of Digital Economy and Behavioral Econ
Organization Name
LPEM FEB UI

Stephen O'Connell

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

George Ofosu

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

Suanna Oh

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

Edward Okeke

J-PAL title
Senior Policy Researcher
Organization Name
Pardee RAND Graduate School

Jaqueline Oliveira

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Rhodes College

Kizito Omala

J-PAL title
Lecturer
Organization Name
Makerere University

Isaac Osei-Akoto

J-PAL title
Senior Research Fellow
Organization Name
Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER)

Emily Oster

J-PAL title
Professor of Economics
Organization Name
Brown University Departments of Economics and Community Health

Sebastián Otero

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor of Economics
Organization Name
Columbia University

Stephanie Owen

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Colby College

Nkechi Owoo

J-PAL title
Researcher
Organization Name
University Of Ghana

Lindsay Page

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Brown University

Daniel Paravisini

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

Susan Parker

J-PAL title
Professor
Organization Name
University of Maryland School of Public Policy

Ana Paula Melo

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Howard University

Jennifer Peck

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Swarthmore College

Marcella Peña Garay

J-PAL title
Professor of Cognitive Sciences and Psychology
Organization Name
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC Chile)

Marcela Perticará

J-PAL title
Head of the Department of Economics
Organization Name
Universidad Diego Portales

Amber Peterman

Organization Name
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Stephanie Casey Pierce

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor and Faculty Fellow at the Howard Baker Center for Public Policy
Organization Name
University of Tennessee

Janneke Pieters

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Wageningen University & Research

Jacquelyn Pless

J-PAL title
Fred Kayne (1960) Career Development Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship
Organization Name
MIT Sloan School of Management

Maria Polyakova

J-PAL title
Assistant Professor
Organization Name
Stanford University

Vladimir Ponczek

J-PAL title
Associate Professor
Organization Name
Sao Paulo School of Economics (EESP)