Esther Duflo

Esther Duflo is the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), holds the Chaire, Pauvreté et politiques publiques at the Collège de France, and serves as President of the Paris School of Economics.

Her research focuses on understanding the economic lives of people living in poverty to help design and evaluate social policies. Her work spans multiple domains including:

• Development Economics
• Poverty Alleviation strategies
• Health interventions
• Educational programs
• Financial inclusion initiatives
• Environmental policy
• Governance improvements

Duflo revolutionized developmental economics by pioneering the use of randomized controlled trials to test poverty reduction measures. Her empirical approach has challenged conventional opinions about development and has helped improve the efficient use of resources in poverty alleviation programs worldwide. She co-authored the influential books "Poor Economics" and "Good Economics for Hard Times" with Abhijit Banerjee, demonstrating through field experiments how specific interventions (like providing lentils to mothers for child immunization) can dramatically improve social outcomes.

Her notable scientific achievements include:

• Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel (2019)
• Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences (2015)
• Infosys Prize (2014)
• John Bates Clark Medal (2010)
• MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship (2009)
• A.SK Social Science Award (2015)

Duflo has established J-PAL as a global network of over a hundred affiliated professors who use scientific evidence to inform policy decisions in the fight against poverty. J-PAL has offices across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and South and Southeast Asia. Her work has demonstrated the crucial importance of information in policymaking, with numerous field experiments showing how carefully designed interventions can have significant impacts on social outcomes across multiple domains including health, education, and economic opportunity.