J-PAL Voices

Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
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Rigorous research paired with visionary public policy has shaped countless policies and programs worldwide. In this podcast from MIT's Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), you’ll come to know the stories behind the impact. Hear from advocates and program coordinators, researchers, and most importantly, the participants themselves about why these programs matter to them and why they should matter for all of us.

  1. 30/07/2025

    Researcher Spotlight: Gautam Rao on co-producing evidence with policymakers

    In this episode, host Sambhav Choudhury speaks with Gautam Rao, Associate Professor of Economics at UC Berkeley. From his unconventional journey from electronics engineering to economics, Gautam shares insights on his behavioral economics and mental health research in India. He discusses his collaborative study on psychotherapy's long-term effects in Goa, explores effective strategies for building partnerships with policymakers, and emphasizes the importance of fieldwork in challenging academic assumptions.

    15 min

  2. 23/07/2025

    Researcher Spotlight: Harini Kannan on designing and scaling education programs

    In this episode, host Sambhav Choudhury speaks with Harini Kannan, Research Scientist at J-PAL South Asia. Harini shares her journey from being inspired by budget speeches as a child to pursuing a career in development economics. Drawing from her extensive experience collaborating with government partners across India, Harini offers valuable insights into building effective partnerships and scaling evidence-informed programs.

    11 min

  3. 16/07/2025

    Researcher Spotlight: Ariel Zucker on field-driven solutions in development economics

    In this episode, host Sambhav Choudhury speaks with Ariel Zucker, Assistant Professor of Economics at UC Santa Cruz. Ariel discusses her journey from an early interest in global health disparities to becoming a development economist specializing in experimental approaches. She shares insights from her research on health interventions for diabetes patients and groundwater conservation in India, highlighting how she balances theoretical frameworks with practical field realities to create meaningful, scalable solutions.

    15 min

  4. 30/06/2025

    Researcher Spotlight: Shobhini Mukherji on her journey to development economics

    In this episode, host Sambhav Choudhury speaks with Shobhini Mukerji, Executive Director of J-PAL South Asia. From her transformative summer internship with education nonprofit Pratham to becoming a principal investigator on groundbreaking research, Shobhini shares her journey into development economics and experimental approaches.

    14 min

  5. 24/06/2025

    Researcher Spotlight: Sandip Sukhtankar on his work in India

    Season 2 of the J-PAL Voices podcast brings together researchers reflecting on their experiences conducting impact evaluations in India. From working in diverse local contexts to engaging with government and civil society, each episode offers a window into the realities of producing policy-relevant evidence on the ground.

    12 min

  6. 20/07/2022

    Episode 7: Using Research to Understand Impact

    Every year from June to August, hundreds of thousands of youth – between the ages of 14 and 24 – participate in summer jobs programs across the United States. These programs, also known as summer youth employment programs or SYEPs, have been receiving greater attention over the past few years as an important policy tool to improve youth outcomes.  In this special episode of J-PAL Voices, we will discuss research showing that summer youth employment programs can improve the lives of young people in outcome areas as diverse as employment, criminal legal system involvement, education, and youth development. We will also revisit program participants and implementers from the first season of J-PAL Voices to put the evidence in context of the day-to-day of SYEPs. Finally, we will discuss where we can go next. We would love to hear your comments and feedback at podcasts@povertyactionlab.org. J-PAL Voices is brought to you by J-PAL North America (https://www.povertyactionlab.org/na). Stay in touch via Twitter (https://twitter.com/JPAL_NA), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/j-pal-north-america), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JPAL.NorthAmerica/). Please take the short, one-minute survey at https://j-p.al/voicessurvey. Links:  The Promises of Summer Youth Employment Program: Lessons from Randomized Evaluations, a J-PAL Evidence Review synthesizing thirteen randomized evaluations across four major U.S. cities’ SYEPs.  Mayor Adams Announces Record 100,000 Summer Youth Employment Opportunities, press conference on February 15, 2022 Biden outlines his administration's actions to curb violent crime and gun violence — 6/23/21, White House press conference, CNBC (Youtube) YOU Boston Youth Recognition Celebration, Boston City TV (Youtube)

    20 min

  7. 23/12/2020

    Episode 6: Change the Narrative

    In arguing that changing the narrative is a critical strategy in fostering mobility from poverty, the US Partnership on Mobility from Poverty notes that “the narratives we use to make sense of the world shape our attitudes and ultimately the policies we devise and endorse”. On the final episode of this season of J-PAL Voices we hear how summer jobs programs are changing the narrative for their participants.Angela Rudolph in Chicago tells us that young people are just waiting for us to see them and invest in them. Julia Breitman in New York City is firm in her conviction that the desire to be agents of their own change exists in every young person. Summer jobs programs are not the silver bullet and it is too much to expect them to dismantle systemic inequalities. But they are a valuable part of fostering mobility from poverty and giving young people the tools that they need to solve conflict and develop the soft skills that will serve them well in the long run.  We would love to hear your comments and feedback at podcasts@povertyactionlab.org. J-PAL Voices is brought to you by J-PAL North America (https://www.povertyactionlab.org/na). Stay in touch via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JPAL.NorthAmerica/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/JPAL_NA). Please take the short, one-minute survey at https://j-p.al/voicessurvey. Links: “Nothing Stops a Bullet Like a Job”, interview by Nico Pitney with Father Greg Boyle (webpage)

    22 min

  8. 09/12/2020

    Episode 5: Create Access to Good Jobs

    In Boston, Chicago, and New York City, research has shown that summer jobs programs lead to a large decrease in violent crime and incarceration. However, in some places, the impacts on earnings are more muted in the short-term. In episode five of J-PAL Voices: The Impact and Promise of Summer Jobs in the United States, we learn how agencies like New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development are working to ensure that summer jobs programs can create a pathway to good jobs. We learn how these programs teach their participants transferable skills and empower them to chart a future that best suits each individual’s needs. We would love to hear your comments and feedback at podcasts@povertyactionlab.org. J-PAL Voices is brought to you by J-PAL North America (https://www.povertyactionlab.org/na). Stay in touch via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JPAL.NorthAmerica/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/JPAL_NA). Please take the short, one-minute survey at https://j-p.al/voicessurvey.

    19 min
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About

Rigorous research paired with visionary public policy has shaped countless policies and programs worldwide. In this podcast from MIT's Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), you’ll come to know the stories behind the impact. Hear from advocates and program coordinators, researchers, and most importantly, the participants themselves about why these programs matter to them and why they should matter for all of us.

Information

  • Creator
    Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020
  • Show Website
    J-PAL Voices