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

Sweta Suman stands on a stage and speaks to an audience

Alumni Voices from Government: Sweta Suman ‘18, Indian Administrative Service

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  • Sweta Suman
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 sits on a stool in front of a camera

Lessons learned in collecting data for government and randomized evaluations

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.
Jasmine Shah stands among a crowd of people looking at an electric vehicle battery swapping facility.

Alumni Voices from Government: Jasmine Shah ‘16, Dialogue and Development Commission, Delhi Government

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  • Jasmine Shah
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.
Hana speaks at a podium in front of a banner

Bringing data into Moroccan policymaking

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.
A map of the world with dots showing the location of various J-PAL alumni working in government.

Leading government systems change from within

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...
Axelle Charpentier sits in behind a desk in her office.

Alumni Voices from Government: Axelle Charpentier '14, French Ministry of Education

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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.
Kelly Bidwell stands in front of a colorful pattern backdrop

Alumni Voices from Government: Kelly Bidwell '15, Office of Evaluation Sciences, US General Services Administration

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  • Kelly Bidwell
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...
Ryan Cooper lectures at a podium.

Alumni Voices from Government: Ryan Cooper ‘14, Experimental Policy Initiative, Budget Office of Chile

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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.