Invited Researchers

Invited Researchers Overview

Invited Researchers (IRs) within the J-PAL network demonstrate strong potential to conduct  RCTs in priority areas. Their appointment is for a fixed term of three years, which may be renewed. Access to initiative funding and research resources is meant to encourage these researchers to conduct rigorous RCTs. Invited researcher status is often a pathway to becoming a permanent J-PAL affiliate, and is a key mechanism for increasing the diversity of the affiliate network. However, as the number of new invited researchers added significantly outpaces the number of new affiliates added each year, not all qualified IRs will be added as affiliates. IRs may include:

• Researchers who do not yet have extensive RCT experience, but have demonstrated strong potential to conduct rigorous RCTs in a particular priority area, and may eventually be nominated for affiliate status.

• Researchers with extensive RCT experience but whose primary discipline lies further from economics who are unlikely to transition to Affiliate status.  

IR Eligibility and Nomination Process

J-PAL North America can nominate a max of forty IRs per year. At our regional office, the Affiliate and Invited Researcher Services (AIRS) team coordinates all IR nominations. Nominations for new IRs can originate from Co-chairs, Scientific Directors, J-PAL NA staff, and via self-nomination. Nominations from J-PAL staff must be approved by the initiative co-chairs or Scientific Directors before submission. Self-nominations are managed entirely by J-PAL Global. Eligibility for IRs include:

• A PhD in Economics or another quantitative research field

• Currently affiliated with an academic institution with freedom to publish and independent PI status

• Ability to do high-quality RCTs based on their track record of conducting high-quality empirical research (operationalized by providing two “clickable” papers, and a statement from the nominator assessing their ability to conduct high quality RCTs)

• Brings relevant regional or subject-matter expertise aligned with one of J-PAL’s existing initiatives or regional offices

J-PAL Global Invited Researcher Support Staff (IRSS) coordinates the collection of IR nominations from all regional offices and provides support to the Invited Research Selection Committee (IRSC), which is responsible for evaluating each nomination. 

Nominations are accepted on a trimester schedule. The IRSC typically takes between two and three months to process IRs nominations and announce the results of the nomination process. Deadlines to submit nominations typically fall in:

• Mid-February 

• End of May 

• End of August 

IR Nominations should follow the structure outlined in the AIRS team template. A complete invited researcher nomination includes the researcher university affiliation, PhD year, website, and a concise statement of fit and RCT readiness. To present a successful nomination, the IRSS and the NA AIRs team recommend the following:

• Clearly articulate why the nominee is a strong candidate for the North America network.

• Describe the specific contributions you envision the researcher making to a particular area of work, sector, or to the broader mission. For example, they may fill an existing knowledge/expertise gap in our network or could play a key role in an ongoing or emerging line of work.

• Articulate how the nominee’s research agenda can incorporate—or has incorporated—RCTs to generate rigorous evidence.

• When selecting papers to include, RCTs published in economics journals will be the most desirable. If that is not possible consider the following: 

  • Studies using quasi-experimental methods to estimate impacts

  • Papers published in high-impact journals

• Full-time academic appointments are generally expected, however the Committee reviews each case individually and may allow exceptions for part-time appointments.

• If the nominee has a degree outside of economics, make sure to include information that demonstrates their presence within the economics field. Mention any work with other J-PAL IR or affiliate researchers or economist collaborators.

Ideally, a third of all J-PAL North America IR nominations will meet racial equity criteria, including scholars who identify as Black, Latino or Indigenous, or scholars whose research agenda centers racial equity (see these resources and examples to help you identify a diverse set of candidates).

In addition to new nominations, AIRS may submit:

• Renewal requests for IRs whose three-year terms are expiring

• Cross-nominations to additional J-PAL initiatives or regional offices

IR Onboarding Process

After the IRSS approves an IR nomination, the AIRS team manages onboarding for each new researcher, with the relevant sector or initiative serving as the process owner. To onboard a researcher, the sector team will:

• Send a welcome email inviting the researcher to the Global Onboarding call.

• Update the researcher’s information in Salesforce.

• Provide information for the AIRS team to add the researcher to the IR listserv.

J-PAL Services available to IR

Once accepted into the network, IRs gain access to a range of J-PAL services and resources designed to support high-quality RCTs. These include:

• Funding opportunities through Requests for Proposals (RFPs) launched by the regional office or initiative the IR is affiliated with.

• Research Management Support (RMS), which offers customized assistance to navigate early-stage complexities in the design and implementation of RCTs

• Support in building research teams, including connections to researchers with RCT experience or additional capacity

• Guidance and troubleshooting for navigating the complexities of RCTs

• Access to a database of RA applicants for recruitment purposes

• Annual RA Training (available for a fee) to strengthen staff capacity

• Research dissemination support for J-PAL funded studies

• General J-PAL online resources