Seema Jayachandran

Seema Jayachandran is a Professor of Economics and Public Affairs at Princeton University, with a PhD in economics from Harvard University, a master's in physics and philosophy from Oxford University (Marshall Scholar), and a bachelor's in electrical engineering from MIT. She currently serves on the board of directors of J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab) and leads its gender sector, while also co-directing the NBER's Development Economics program and co-editing American Economic Review: Insights. Additional advisory roles include membership on CARE's board, GiveWell's research council, and Rainforest Trust's advisory council.

Her research focuses on environmental conservation (e.g., financial incentives for forest protection in Uganda) and gender equality (e.g., son preference in India, economic development's impact on gender disparities) in developing countries, with broader interests in

• Microeconomic development
• Public policy design
• Behavioral economics
• Climate change economics
• Labor market dynamics

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Recent publications address transformative AI economics, climate finance, and housing vulnerability to climate risks. She is on sabbatical during 2025-26.