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 Board of Directors, which is composed of J-PAL affiliated professors and senior management, provides overall strategic guidance to J-PAL, our sector programs, and regional offices.
J-PAL recognizes that there is a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of economics and in our field of work. Read about what actions we are taking to address this.
We host events around the world and online to share results and policy lessons from randomized evaluations, to build new partnerships between researchers and practitioners, and to train organizations on how to design and conduct randomized evaluations, and use evidence from impact evaluations.
Browse news articles about J-PAL and our affiliated professors, read our press releases and monthly global and research newsletters, and connect with us for media inquiries.
Based at leading universities around the world, our experts are economists who use randomized evaluations to answer critical questions in the fight against poverty. Connect with us for all media inquiries and we'll help you find the right person to shed insight on your story.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
J-PAL is based at MIT in Cambridge, MA and has seven regional offices at leading universities in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, North America, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Our global office is based at the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It serves as the head office for our network of seven independent regional offices.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
Led by affiliated professors, J-PAL sectors guide our research and policy work by conducting literature reviews; by managing research initiatives that promote the rigorous evaluation of innovative interventions by affiliates; and by summarizing findings and lessons from randomized evaluations and producing cost-effectiveness analyses to help inform relevant policy debates.
How do policies affecting private sector firms impact productivity gaps between higher-income and lower-income countries? How do firms’ own policies impact economic growth and worker welfare?
How can we identify effective policies and programs in low- and middle-income countries that provide financial assistance to low-income families, insuring against shocks and breaking poverty traps?
Formerly a research associate at J-PAL South Asia, Sweta Suman ‘18 is now training to become an officer in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), where she will implement and eventually shape development policy in India. She describes her experience at J-PAL and the path to becoming an IAS officer...
Laura Feeney, Associate Director of Research and Training for J-PAL North America, recounts how her time as an economist at the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics helped prepare her for the realities of implementing randomized evaluations.
Formerly the deputy director of J-PAL South Asia, Jasmine Shah ‘16 now leads public policy design and implementation at the Dialogue and Development Commission within the Delhi government. He describes the transition from J-PAL to government in this post in our Alumni Voices from Government series.
In this post, Hana Lakhdar Gazal (Deputy Director, Morocco Employment Lab) describes her past work with the Moroccan government to institutionalize data-driven policymaking and how it inspired her to pursue this further at J-PAL.
At J-PAL, our people are the real drivers of our impact. Many J-PAL alumni go on to occupy positions in governments worldwide, where they advocate for evidence use in decision-making from within. Learn about the civil servants among our current and former staff in our new Alumni Voices from...
Formerly a research manager at J-PAL Europe, Axelle Charpentier '14 now leads education policy and practice research at the French Ministry of Education. She describes her journey from J-PAL to government in this post in the Alumni Voices from Government series.
Formerly a senior policy manager at J-PAL North America, Kelly Bidwell '15 now leads the Office of Evaluation Sciences within the United States General Services Administration. She describes her work to drive evidence generation and use across US government agencies in this post in the Alumni Voices...
Formerly the executive director of J-PAL LAC, Ryan Cooper '14 now leads the Experimental Policy Initiative within Chile's Budget Office. He describes his journey from J-PAL to government in this Q&A.