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.

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.

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.

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.

In this episode of J-PAL Voices' Researcher Spotlight, host Sambhav Choudhury speaks with Sandip Sukhtankar, Professor of Economics at the University of Virginia. He discusses the unique challenges and rewards of conducting research with law enforcement agencies, offers practical strategies for maintaining government partnerships despite personnel changes, and explores the nuanced role of technology in social protection programs.

In this special episode of J-PAL voices, we present rigorous evidence on the impacts of summer youth employment programs and discuss ways for you, our listeners, to support these programs.

On the final episode of this season of J-PAL Voices we hear how summer jobs programs are changing the narrative for their participants.

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.

How do summer jobs programs empower their youth through short programs? What leads to the lasting impact that we see in decreases in violent crime well after the programs conclude?

Data help us look at mechanisms and a variety of outcomes, tell a diversity of stories, and ensure that we serve the most vulnerable individuals.

What does it mean for a program to transform communities while remaining grounded in the voices and perspectives of residents? In the second episode of J-PAL Voices: The Impact and Promise of Summer Jobs in the United States, we look at how summer jobs programs in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York City strive to ensure that zip code is not destiny.

In the first episode of J-PAL Voices: The Impact and Promise of Summer Jobs in the United States, we introduce you to some of the people you will meet throughout the series.

Hosted by Senior Research and Policy Manager Rohit Naimpally, the inaugural season of J-PAL Voices will explore how summer jobs programs fit into the broader goals of fostering mobility from poverty in the United States.