Talk on “Guiding policy through research” on April 11, 2018

Date: 11-4-2018

Description: A talk on “Guiding policy through research” will be given by Dr. Soumya Balasubramanya on April 11, 2018 at 2 PM.

Talk abstract: How can scientific research guide policy? Today’s talk will provide two examples of such work. The first example involves using open-source technology for disaster risk management. This project has influenced government policy and financial allocations of ministries in Sri Lanka and has guided similar investments by governments, NGOs, aid agencies, and international organizations around the globe. The second example involves collecting and using representative microdata to guide the design of agriculture and water management programs of international financial institutions in Tajikistan, and beyond.

About the speaker: Soumya Balasubramanya, Ph.D., uses economic methods to address environmental and development challenges in Asia and Africa. Her expertise in program evaluation and non-market valuation is based on ten years of experience in conducting field research in developing countries. Her work has been used by international aid agencies and financial organizations to inform investments and programs, and by governments in developing countries to design policy. Dr. Balasubramanya has experience in fundraising; project and program management; and capacity building in developed and developing countries. She is currently affiliated with the International Water Management Institute.

CITAPP at IIIT Bangalore is an interdisciplinary think-tank set-up to focus on the policy challenges and the organizational demands made by technological innovation. Of particular interest to the Centre is how technological advances, along with institutional changes that harness the legitimacy and the powers of bureaucracies and market, address the needs of underserved communities.