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.
Global Director of Policy and Communications, J-PAL
Claire Walsh leads the Policy and Communications group at J-PAL, which collaborates with the J-PAL research network and policymakers to synthesize and share insights from randomized evaluations to inform policy design and scale decisions and advance evidence-informed policy to reduce poverty. Claire is the Project Director for J-PAL’s King Climate Action Initiative, which designs, evaluates, and scales high-impact solutions at the intersection of climate change and poverty alleviation in collaboration with governments, NGOs, donors, and companies worldwide.
Claire previously led J-PAL's Innovation in Government Initiative, a global fund to support governments in harnessing data and evidence to drive innovation and improve public policy and served as interim Deputy Director of J-PAL Southeast Asia in Jakarta. In 2019, MIT awarded her the “Excellence Award,” among the highest honors of the institute for its staff. Claire holds an MA from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University where she specialized in development economics and international business relations and a BA in anthropology from Vassar College. Prior to joining J-PAL in 2012, she worked for NGOs working to improve the quality of education and employment opportunities for youth in East Africa.