Two professors from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) have become the first academics from Pakistan to join the renowned Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. This marks a historic achievement for Pakistan’s academic community and highlights the country’s growing influence in global research.
Dr. Ali Cheema, Vice Chancellor of LUMS, is a leading professor of economics and politics and co-founder of the Mahbub ul Haq Research Center. His work focuses on political economy, development, and governance. Dr. Farah Said, an associate professor of economics, specializes in gender, labor markets, and poverty, and has led several randomized controlled trials to evaluate empowerment and development interventions.
J-PAL, founded by Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, is a world leader in promoting evidence-based policy to reduce poverty. Its global network of Affiliated Professors includes top economists, among them five Nobel Prize winners. The selection of Dr. Cheema and Dr. Said places them in an elite group shaping global development policy.
The professors’ research has appeared in some of the most respected academic journals, including the Journal of Political Economy, American Political Science Review, Science, Economic Journal, and American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. Their appointment reflects years of impactful work addressing political, economic, and social challenges.
Both professors expressed gratitude to their colleagues, co-authors, and students for their role in achieving this milestone. They emphasized that more Pakistani-origin scholars are contributing meaningfully to global research on urgent economic and political issues facing the country.
They also noted the rise of a promising new generation of Pakistani academics asking important questions about why systems often fail to meet public needs. This recognition, they said, is not only a personal achievement but also a moment of pride for Pakistan’s higher education sector.