Kelsey Jack's research is at the intersection of Environmental and Development Economics, with a focus on how individuals, households, and communities decide to use natural resources and provide public goods. Much of her research uses field experiments to test theory and new policy innovations. She has done research in numerous countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and has ongoing work in South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Niger. Kelsey co-chairs the Environment and Energy sector at J-PAL and directs the Poverty Alleviation group at emLab.
Professor Jack joined the Bren School after seven years as an Assistant Professor in the Economics Department at Tufts University and a postdoc position at MIT, with the Agricultural Technology Adoption Initiative (ATAI) at J-PAL. She has a bachelors degree in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University and a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard University. Before graduate school, she spent two years in Lao PDR working for IUCN.