Center for Effective Global Action

Togo and UC Berkeley: A data science alliance to build a dynamic West African nation - Berkeley News Forged in the crisis of COVID, a relationship between the small but innovative country and the Center for Effective Global Action has blossomed into a vital collaboration. Leaders foresee advances in…

Berkeley News recently released an article describing a collaboration with the African nation Togo that first began during COVID.

This research, spearheaded by I School Prof. Josh Blumenstock and @cega-uc.bsky.social, has resulted in new lasting changes.

Meeting the moment: CEGA’s strategic priorities in a changing global development landscape CEGA priorities for 2025-2026

🌍 As the foreign aid landscape shifts, CEGA remains committed to advancing rigorous evidence.

In the year ahead, we’re prioritizing cost-effectiveness, nontraditional data methods, capacity-building programs, and more.

🔗 Learn more in a new #CEGABlog: go.cega.org/CEGAgoals2026

🎉 CEGA is excited to welcome @wnomikos.bsky.social as a new faculty affiliate! Read what Will is looking forward to as he joins CEGA’s robust network of researchers.

Closed Call for Proposals – Security Networks and Contested Orders Seed Fund We’re pleased to announce a closed request for proposals for participants of our 2025 Multi-actor Security Networks workshop series in Honolulu, Accra, and Singapore. This seed fund—made...

🚨 New funding opportunity!

With generous support from the @carnegiecorp.bsky.social, CEGA is excited to announce a closed request for proposals for participants of our 2025 Multi-actor Security Networks workshop series in Honolulu, Accra, and Singapore.

Learn more: go.cega.org/securitynetworksRFP

Togo and UC Berkeley: A data science alliance to build a dynamic West African nation - Berkeley News Forged in the crisis of COVID, a relationship between the small but innovative country and the Center for Effective Global Action has blossomed into a vital collaboration. Leaders foresee advances in…

In Togo, data science is transforming governance and development.

🌍 A new Cal News story features the Togo Data Lab, a cutting-edge collaboration between CEGA and the Togolese government to embed data science in policymaking.

📖 Learn more: go.cega.org/TDLcalnews

🌱 New research from CEGA affiliated professor Michael Carter + colleagues reveals how financial and social factors impact farmers’ decisions to adopt agricultural subsidies in Uganda.

Learn more here: go.cega.org/ugandasubsidy

🌟 This week’s faculty affiliate feature is Guilherme Lichand from Stanford University! Read more about what Guilherme is looking forward to as he joins CEGA’s robust network of researchers.

Really interesting conference happening in #Chile in January on Promoting Financial Inclusion and Innovation in Latin America!

Jointly hosted by @berkeleyhaas.bsky.social, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and @cega-uc.bsky.social

8 days left to apply

Submit: lnkd.in/g_eS2cuy

🚨 CEGA is #Hiring!

We’re hiring an undergraduate intern to support our Data Science for Development and Conflict & Governance programs, a unique opportunity at the intersection of data science, development, and political economy.

🔗 Apply here: go.cega.org/DS4Dintern

💵 New funding opportunity!

CEGA and @nieraglobal.bsky.social are awarding $30,000 to projects designed to enhance the leadership of African scholars in development economics research as part of the Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research.

🔗 Learn more here: go.cega.org/cidrRFP

Putting Open Science Into Practice: Reflections from the 2025 RT2 Training This year’s RT2 took place from May 21-23, 2025 on UC Berkeley’s Campus. BITSS Program Manager Jo Weech shares common questions from 28 early-career researchers who are working to implement open sc…

🔍 How can we make research more reproducible? @ucbitss.bsky.social’s RT2 program offers a step towards #openscience.

This year’s cohort convened 28 early-career researchers to learn how to make their research more transparent + credible.

🔗 Learn more: go.cega.org/2025BITSSRT2

👥 Does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? CEGA Faculty Affiliate @hmmlowe.bsky.social finds that:

📉 Smaller effects than previously thought
🧩 Meeting Allport conditions doesn’t guarantee success
💡 Stronger impact on individual perception than groups

📖: go.cega.org/MLigcontact

Biologists Meet Development: Leveraging Multimodal Data for Ecological Conservation and Community Benefit Insights from MeasureDev 2025

🌿 From tracking bat movement with weather radar to incorporating AI in biodiversity research, CEGA + the World Bank’s recent #MeasureDev conference convened experts to share insights shaping the future of conservation.

Learn more in a new #CEGABlog: go.cega.org/measuredev25

As the global aid landscape shifts, evidence is critical—now more than ever.

CEGA, @busaracenter.bsky.social, & @nieraglobal.bsky.social recently hosted #NairobiEvidenceWeek, featuring #AES2025 & #ESA2025, to advance research + policy that improves lives.

Stream: go.cega.org/AES25live

🌟 This week’s faculty affiliate feature is @lindsey-novak.bsky.social from Reed College! Learn more about Lindsey and what she is looking forward to as she joins CEGA’s network of researchers.

Why Farmers and Scientists Farm Differently: A Q&A with Kyle Emerick and Betty Sadoulet Since 2009, ATAI has facilitated 85 research investments contributing to a rigorous evidence base on poverty reduction and agricultural development. In this blog, Jenna Fahle, agricultural...

🌾 How can farmers protect crops from flooding? A breakthrough study offered a promising tool, but how has it performed over time?

CEGA’s Jenna Fahle talks with Kyle Emerick & Betty Sadoulet in a new #CEGABlog on their work on flood-resistant rice.

🔗 go.cega.org/ATAIinterview

CEGA Blog The CEGA blog showcases the latest evidence and insights from our network of researchers, partners, fellows, and graduate students.

As West Africa’s security networks evolve, new forms of governance are emerging. CEGA and partners recently held a workshop exploring this critical topic as part of our Security Networks & Contested Orders initiative.

See past workshop insights: go.cega.org/conflictblogs

318 | Edward Miguel on the Developing Practice of Development Economics – Sean Carroll Economics is seeing an upsurge in the importance of controlled, reproducible empirical studies. One area where this has had a great impact is on development economics, which studies the economies of…

🌍 At the forefront of global poverty research, CEGA Faculty Co-Director @tedmiguel.bsky.social‘s work has helped millions.

He recently joined @seanmcarroll.bsky.social on the #MindscapePodcast to discuss how development economics is driving meaningful global action.

🎧: go.cega.org/EMmindscape

🎉 CEGA is excited to introduce @andydebarros.bsky.social, our newest faculty affiliate! Read what Andreas is looking forward to as he joins CEGA’s network of researchers.

💡 For Sarah Baird, CEGA’s Kenya Life Panel Study helped define her research interests.

In a recent @thelancet.com article, she reflects on how the study deepened her interest in understanding the causal impact of policy on life outcomes.

Read more: go.cega.org/SBKLPSarticle

Do pro-democracy programs that train and select politicians work?

CEGA faculty affiliates Ernesto Dal Bó, Claudio Ferraz, and Frederico Finan explore this question in their latest research examining a training program for future politicians in Brazil.

🔗 eml.berkeley.edu/~ffinan/Finan_Renova.pdf

🧠 As Africa’s population ages, evidence-based policy is essential to address cognitive health challenges.

CEGA proudly hosted the 2025 HCAP Network Meeting, gathering leading researchers to explore cognition and aging in Africa.

🔗 Learn more: hcap.isr.umich.edu

Economics professor tackles poverty in Kenya and global climate change | Letters & Science Berkeley Economics Professor Edward Miguel has spent his career uncovering the structural forces behind poverty, instability and inequality. As the Oxfam Professor of Environmental and Resource…

“Work on something you genuinely care about” says CEGA Faculty Co-Director @tedmiguel.bsky.social. In a recent interview, he shares insights from his research and offers advice on creating a meaningful social impact in research.

🔗 go.cega.org/EMinterview

🧠 New evidence from India shows how a simple intervention transformed cognitive endurance and academic performance.

In a new @voxdev.bsky.social article, CEGA Faculty Affiliate Supreet Kaur + colleagues show the impact of engaging in effortful mental activity.

🔗: go.cega.org/cognitiveendurance

2025 Nairobi Evidence Week Join us for a week of events featuring the the 13th annual Africa Evidence Summit and the 2025 Economic Science Association (ESA) Africa Conference. This year, the Center for Effective Global...

🎈#ESAAfrica2025 is underway! Co-hosted by @busaracenter.bsky.social and @ecscienceassoc.bsky.social as part of #NairobiEvidenceWeek, CEGA is excited to attend this conference exploring innovations in experimental and behavioral economics.

Learn more here: go.cega.org/NEW2025

Togo Data Lab The Togo Data Lab (the Lab) helps to accelerate the Government of Togo's transformation into a leader of publicly-led data science innovation.

🌐 Next month, the AI Summit for Good & Crisis Computing Workshop will convene global leaders to explore how AI can solve global challenges. We’re thrilled that Mawudem Kokouvi Koledzi will attend both events on behalf of the Togo Data Lab.

Learn more: go.cega.org/TogoDL

ESRF is an independent policy research think tank based in Tanzania dedicated to supporting research and providing evidence to support economic development.

Their sponsor booth featured highlights from their supported projects and updates for those looking to get involved. #AES2025

@aphrc.bsky.social‬ is a hub for fostering research collaborations across Africa, with a focus on utilizing cutting-edge technologies.

At their sponsor booth, they shared the latest on their research projects and current career and internship opportunities. #AES2025

At International Development Research Centre (IDRC)'s booth, attendees learned about their latest funding opportunities and IDRC's research priorities. We're proud to have their sponsorship for #AES2025.

Have you checked out the dynamic booths at #AES2025? All of our Summit sponsors have engaged attendees across the two days of our Summit to share their latest research, current career opportunities, and more.

At the ‪@beckerfriedman.bsky.social‬ booth, attendees learned about the BFI data studio!