Research

Working Papers

Data Availability and the Geography of Economic Research.

In 1984, USAID launched the Demographic and Health Surveys program, an international effort to improve data on health and fertility in the developing world. I leverage the program's staggered introduction across countries, evaluating its effects on the geography of economic research. The DHS expanded the geographic coverage of economics, increasing the likelihood of a publication on a country in a given year by 7 percentage points, 26% of the control mean. However, it decreased the likelihood of a publication with a local coauthor. These results suggest that access to data opens research opportunities in neglected regions, but reduces reliance on local collaboration.

Works in Progress

How J-PAL and IPA Changed Economic Research.

Building Capacity in African Impact Evaluation: Evidence from CEGA Fellows.