When and where will infection rates from the coronavirus surge? How are people responding to quarantine measures? And how is the pandemic affecting people's economic and social activity? The answers to these questions and the policy measures taken in response are critical to improving well-being and saving lives. The problem is that amidst the immensely complex and rapidly … [Read more...] about Big Data in the Age of the Coronavirus
Julián Cristia
Julian Cristia is a Lead Economist in the Research Department at the Inter-American Development Bank. His current research analyzes how governments can promote skills development with limited increases in public spending. He has evaluated programs that introduced technology into schools and expanded access to pre-primary education. Additionally, he has produced systematic reviews on early childhood development, the use of technology in education and how to improve learning in primary schools. His work has appeared in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, Journal of Development Economics, Journal of Human Resources, and Journal of Health Economics. His research has been covered by several media outlets including The Economist, NPR, and Associated Press. Prior to joining the IDB, he worked as an Associate Analyst in the Health and Human Resources Division of the Congressional Budget Office. Cristia holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland.
Human Mobility Map Shows that People Are Observing Social Distancing
In recent weeks, the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean have implemented a battery of measures to encourage social distancing and reduce the infection rate of the coronavirus. Although it is clear that human mobility has indeed dropped significantly, important questions persist. How much has mobility declined in the region? In what countries has it dropped the … [Read more...] about Human Mobility Map Shows that People Are Observing Social Distancing
A Jump in Social Distancing in Latin America, According to Google Search Data
The coronavirus threatens to cast a shadow of death and illness wherever it goes. To fight it, experts recommend “social distancing”—that is, that people avoid interacting with each other and stay in their homes. The governments of Latin America are promoting social distancing using a variety of measures. But have they been successful? We looked at Google web search data for … [Read more...] about A Jump in Social Distancing in Latin America, According to Google Search Data
Can Games Boost Math Learning For Poor Kids?
Aaron Pinto, age 11, always loved math. He just wasn't very good at it. He stumbled with multiplication, fractions and decimals, refused to use pencil and paper, and made mistake after mistake as he tried to work things out on his fingers or in his head. Frustrated, at times even depressed, he couldn't seem to find a way forward. But Aaron's problems, if overwhelming, … [Read more...] about Can Games Boost Math Learning For Poor Kids?
Some Economists Say We’re Less Selfish Than We Think. Why?
Ask anyone in a Western society what makes the world go round, and they are likely to say selfishness, or at least self-interest. It is an idea drilled into us by Thomas Hobbes more than three hundred years ago and by Adam Smith, who argued for the benefits of self-interest in economic progress. It seems more than obvious in our dog-eat-dog world. But psychology and … [Read more...] about Some Economists Say We’re Less Selfish Than We Think. Why?