Center for Effective Global Action
October 2015 - Impact Note
IMPACT
     
ATAI at the World Bank Agriculture Global Practice Group 

This week, CEGA affiliate Craig McIntosh speaks at the World Bank to review evidence from ten studies across Sub-Saharan Africa and India on how to mitigate risk for poor farmers using strategies including insurance and risk-mitigating crop varieties. These insights highlight more than 5 years of research by the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI), co-led by CEGA and J-PAL. ATAI is a portfolio of 30+ randomized trials, testing different strategies to improve smallholder farmers' adoption of effective technologies for improved yields and profits. The World Bank is hosting two additional ATAI talks later this year, sharing evidence on the design of effective credit products and extension programs.
 
Making Research Easier to Replicate

The Berkeley Initiative for Transparency in the Social Sciences (BITSS) is noted in the Wall Street Journal this month, in an article highlighting replication and its role in academic integrity. CEGA launched BITSS in 2012 to promote discussion about transparency and its role in generating more reliable, credible research.
PEOPLE
 
EASST Researchers at Berkeley
 
Spring 2015 EASST Visiting Fellow John Bosco Asiimwe conducting baseline questionnaires in Uganda for the EASST funded research project, 
Working With Village Health Teams To Increase ORS Use In Uganda: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
 
On October 19th, the East Africa Social Science Translation (EASST) network hosted a mini-symposium highlighting evaluations of programs in primary education, child health, land rights, and more. Speakers included Fred Manang (Univ. of Dodoma), Karthik Muralidharan (CEGA/UC San Diego), Kizito Omala (Makerere Univ.), Hailemariam Ayalew Tiruneh (Debremarkos Univ.), and Zach Wagner (UC Berkekey). 

John Bosco Asiimwe
 
Gertler to be Honored by Erasmus University in Rotterdam    
  
Paul Gertler 
Paul Gertler, CEGA's Scientific Director of Human Development, will receive an honorary degree from Erasmus University in November in recognition of his extensive research in global health care. Gertler is Li Ka Shing professor in the Schools of Business and Public Health at UC Berkeley.
 
CEGA IN THE NEWS
 
Will climate change dampen economic growth?
A study by CEGA affiliates Marshall Burke (Stanford), Solomon Hsiang (Berkeley), and Ted Miguel (Berkeley) combines historical weather data with national economic data to forecast the effect of temperature on economic production. Read more here.
 
DIL start-up "aqui-hired" by Facebook 
 
The founders of Endaga, a tech spin-off from Development Impact Lab-funded research, were hired by Facebook this month. Endaga builds community cellular networks that bring network connectivity to rural areas. The technology has become part of Facebook's vision to connect the world. Click here to read more.
Cash Transfers, No Strings Attached 
 
GiveDirectly, founded by CEGA affiliate Paul Niehaus and colleagues, was featured in The Atlantic this month, calling cash transfers without conditions "a simple way to reform welfare." 
OPPORTUNITIES

Pacific Conference for Development Economics (PacDev) at Stanford - Save the Date!  





The Stanford Center for International Development (SCID) hosts the 2016 Pacific Conference for Development Economics (PacDev) at Stanford on Saturday, March 5, 2016. PacDev connects West Coast faculty, graduate students, and practitioners to present and discuss the issues facing developing economies. More details to come!
  
   
CEGA Is Hiring 
    
The Center for Effective Global Action is currently hiring for multiple positions, including a Data Manager/Senior Operations Associate, as well as Program Associates in Measurement Technology and Global Networks. Please visit our webpage for more information.