Discussion paper
I have been working on field research projects, including large-scale RCTs, for the past 6 years. Beginning with my work at IPA Kenya, I managed a multi-arm RCT studying social networks and technology adoption. This included oversight of all aspects of fieldwork, survey development, training, and team management; at various points, the team consisted of over 100 staff members. After my work in Kenya, I oversaw the roll-out of a panel data collection exercise in Addis Ababa which sampled thousands of households, firms, and government officials. I have cumulatively lived in Addis Ababa for around 1.5 years, so I am quite familiar with this context. Through my previous work in Ethiopia I built relationships with research professionals and government officials and gained an understanding of the pitfalls of doing research in the country. Specifically, I expect to continue work with colleagues located at PSI and IFPRI in Ethiopia. These organizations have an established presence in the country which we have previously leveraged to access various administrative datasets. In recent conversations with these colleagues there is substantial interest in studying the condominium policy and confidence that we will be gain access to educational and lottery-related administrative data.
Having completed coursework in my program, I am moving forward with ideas and projects that could eventually become my PhD dissertation. This proposal represents my preferred idea for my dissertation. I am a recipient of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship which will provide me with a full stipend for the next 2 years. As such, I do not require support via teaching or research assistant positions and can focus on project implementation.