IN THE NEWS
Do Matching Shoe Donations Improve Well-being?
Research by CEGA affiliate
Bruce Wydick
(USF) and co-authors on the effectiveness of TOMS shoes' "one for one" policy was recently featured in the
Economist
. The study finds no effect of free shoes on children's shoe ownership, overall health or self-esteem, and finds an increase in aid-dependent attitudes among shoe recipients. Results have influenced TOMS to adjust its strategy, tying product purchase to interventions with larger impact.
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SPOTLIGHT
Development Engineering Awarded $3M from National Science Foundation
The
Development Engineering
(Dev Eng) degree program at UC Berkeley has been awarded a
$3M grant
from the
National Science Foundation
to grow the effort first established in 2014 by CEGA and the
Blum Center
. The funding will support graduate students who are conducting innovative research to address major challenges in food, energy, and water systems.
CEGA Releases White Paper on Institutional Reform
In November, CEGA released a synthesis report
reviewing nearly 200 studies on governance and public institutions in low-income countries. Authored by Scientific Directors
Ernesto Dal Bó
and
Fred Finan
, the paper identifies 40 open research questions addressing neglected topics in government performance, accountability, and citizen participation. The review is part of CEGA's
Economic Development and Institutions (EDI)
initiative, which provides
competitive funding
for randomized evaluations testing new ideas at the frontier of governance and institutional reform.
New Animated Videos Highlight "Tech for Dev"
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Screen shot from DIL's GSM White Spaces video
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The
Development Impact Lab
(DIL) has released two
new videos
describing innovations by CEGA affiliates at the intersection of technology and international development. Featured projects include
GridWatch
, a crowdsourcing platform for monitoring electricity outages, and
GSM White Spaces
, a new technology for delivering voice and SMS services to low-income communities.
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EVENTS
ATAI Featured at USDA/USAID World Food Prize Event
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Photo by Ofir Reich
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Energy Research and Matchmaking Conference in DC
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Photo by Alexandra Wall
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On November 3 and 4, CEGA hosted a
matchmaking conference
in Washington, DC to solicit policy-maker feedback on the research agenda for the
Energy and Economic Growth
(EEG) initiative, a program funded by the UK government. The event engaged 90 policy-makers, practitioners, and academics from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia to discuss topics of critical importance to the energy sector.
Training for Open Science in Kenya
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RESEARCH
Why Don't Caretakers Use ORS Salts to Treat Child Diarrhea?
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Photo by Zachary Wagner
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In 2013, diarrhea killed more than 500,000 children worldwide (mostly in sub-Saharan Africa). Many of these deaths could have been prevented with a simple, cheap "technology": sugar, salt and water. A
new study
funded by the
East Africa Social Science Translation Collaborative
(EASST) -- and led by EASST fellow
John Bosco Asiimwe
-- seeks to identify the barriers to wider use of oral rehydration salts (ORS) in Uganda. The multi-arm randomized evaluation tests both price and access to ORS across 4,760 households. Preliminary results suggest that ORS use increased from 56% at baseline to 94% at endline as a result of pilot interventions.
Effects of India's Emergency Medical System
A new study in Health Affairs by CEGA Affiliate Grant Miller (Stanford) and co-authors examines the health impacts of the Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI), a public/private partnership providing free 911-like emergency response and ambulance services throughout India. In a summary of findings from 2 states, they report that emergency services reduced neonatal and infant mortality in high-risk areas of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh by approximately 2 percent. Results of additional analyses are forthcoming.
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OPPORTUNITIES
Request for Applications - Economic Development and Institutions
Apply for the BITSS Catalyst Program
 BITSS has issued a
Call for Proposals
to fund research transparency trainings and curriculum development through our Catalyst Program. BITSS Catalysts can compete for funding to scale up learning activities and help us build a growing network of researchers dedicated to open science. Interested academics and practitioners can apply to become a Catalyst
here
.
5th Annual BITSS Annual Meeting
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Ted Miguel, CEGA
Faculty Director
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Call for Papers: PacDev 2017
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The 2017
