The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research center working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. Anchored by a network of more than 1,000 researchers at universities around the world, J-PAL conducts randomized impact evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty.
Our affiliated professors are based at over 120 universities and conduct randomized evaluations around the world to design, evaluate, and improve programs and policies aimed at reducing poverty. They set their own research agendas, raise funds to support their evaluations, and work with J-PAL staff on research, policy outreach, and training.
Our research, policy, and training work is fundamentally better when it is informed by a broad range of perspectives.
J-PAL Affiliated Professor
Professor of Economics and International Affairs
Columbia University
Eric Verhoogen is a Professor of Economics and International Affairs at Columbia University and Vice Dean of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs. His main research area is industrial development—firms, innovation, productivity, trade, industrial policy, and labor markets in developing countries. A number of his studies have been concerned with the process of quality upgrading—why and how firms raise quality when they sell to richer countries—and the consequences for labor and other input markets. Recently, Eric has been studying technology adoption and productivity estimation, among other topics. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.
Eric serves on the review board of J-PAL's Invited Researcher Selection Committee.