Andrew Dillon

Andrew Dillon is a Research Associate Professor of Development Economics and Director of the Research Methods Cluster at the Global Poverty Research Lab (GPRL) at Northwestern University. His work focuses on understanding how productivity improvements in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) enhance welfare, with a particular emphasis on market organization, agricultural technologies, health, and nutrition. He leads interdisciplinary research teams collaborating with governments, NGOs, and private firms in West African countries such as Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Educations

• B.A. in Political and Social Thought and Economics (1999), University of Virginia
• Ph.D. in Applied Economics and Management (2008), Cornell University

Research Interests

Dillon’s research spans market design, agricultural productivity, and survey methodology. He investigates how private-sector interventions in agriculture can improve technology adoption, and his work on enumerator recruitment and random digit dial surveys addresses critical methodological challenges in development research. His innovation, 'village input fairs,' has been recognized with awards from the Global Development Incubator for scaling market solutions in LMICs.

Articles Overview

Recent work emphasizes causal inference in development contexts, with studies on pesticide risks, hydrological infrastructure impacts, and the role of social networks in technology diffusion. He consistently bridges methodological rigor with policy relevance, particularly in designing scalable interventions.

Awards

• Incubation Awards (2024) from Global Development Incubator for 'village input fairs' innovation

Advising & Grants

Dillon advises on projects blending agricultural and health interventions, such as the Enhanced Homestead Food Production Program in Burkina Faso. He collaborates with institutions like the World Bank and Kellogg School of Management on programs integrating impact analytics into strategic decision-making.

Labs/Teams

Leads GPRL’s Research Methods Cluster, focused on advancing data collection techniques and causal inference in development economics.