Jessica Leight
@leightjessica.bsky.social
Development economist, @Yale / @UniofOxford / @MIT. Asso editor, REHO + CER. Editorial board member, BMC Public Health + PloS One. Structural transformation, agriculture, gender, IPV. Views my own
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @KaOrtizb
@usd_business who works on topics related to labor, agriculture + applied econometrics
@usd_business who works on topics related to labor, agriculture + applied econometrics
November 17, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @KaOrtizb
@usd_business who works on topics related to labor, agriculture + applied econometrics
@usd_business who works on topics related to labor, agriculture + applied econometrics
#econtwitter #econsky: I'm again organizing sessions for Ashecon this upcoming June (in Minneapolis, in-person only) focused on IPV/VAW in low- and middle-income countries; for myself, particularly interested in a session around intersections between IPV and health outcomes
November 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM
#econtwitter #econsky: I'm again organizing sessions for Ashecon this upcoming June (in Minneapolis, in-person only) focused on IPV/VAW in low- and middle-income countries; for myself, particularly interested in a session around intersections between IPV and health outcomes
Banger of a new study #econtwitter #econsky shows exposure to a field-specific incidence of faculty sexual harassment ⬇️ degree completion in that discipline - for both men and women - 4 years later
November 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Banger of a new study #econtwitter #econsky shows exposure to a field-specific incidence of faculty sexual harassment ⬇️ degree completion in that discipline - for both men and women - 4 years later
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @MarwaIbPhD @IMFNews who works on topics related to social protection, migration + labor
November 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @MarwaIbPhD @IMFNews who works on topics related to social protection, migration + labor
Starting my #econtwitter #econsky recap 🧵 for #neudc2025 @TuftsEconomics! First session: displaced persons. Tamim shows that a housing subsidy for Syrian refugees in Jordan had only minor positive economic effects + led to a deterioration in relations btw hosts + refugees
November 8, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Starting my #econtwitter #econsky recap 🧵 for #neudc2025 @TuftsEconomics! First session: displaced persons. Tamim shows that a housing subsidy for Syrian refugees in Jordan had only minor positive economic effects + led to a deterioration in relations btw hosts + refugees
If you're headed to NEUDC this weekend - me too! Will be presenting the effects of graduation model for IDPs in Baidoa, Somalia - one of the first RCTs ever conducted in this country - on Sat morning. Excited to see a whole range of new papers, esp from cool young researchers!
November 6, 2025 at 5:06 PM
If you're headed to NEUDC this weekend - me too! Will be presenting the effects of graduation model for IDPs in Baidoa, Somalia - one of the first RCTs ever conducted in this country - on Sat morning. Excited to see a whole range of new papers, esp from cool young researchers!
2-year-old has decided he hates both shirts and socks (he grudgingly accepts pants) so now I'm the one carrying him into school wearing shoes but no socks and screaming his head off because I did in fact force him to put on a shirt
November 6, 2025 at 2:58 PM
2-year-old has decided he hates both shirts and socks (he grudgingly accepts pants) so now I'm the one carrying him into school wearing shoes but no socks and screaming his head off because I did in fact force him to put on a shirt
Just asked chatgpt a really dumb question and it informed me that's a great + nuanced question that shows I really understand the topic. Thanks for the effort buddy, you're not fooling me though
November 5, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Just asked chatgpt a really dumb question and it informed me that's a great + nuanced question that shows I really understand the topic. Thanks for the effort buddy, you're not fooling me though
Short 🧵 on boring but imp topic: how to format tables! First, + most imp point: table in an econ paper should be comprehensible w/o any cross-reference to text. Variables should be clearly defined (not "lnconsexp"; write "Consumption)"; + specification described in notes
November 4, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Short 🧵 on boring but imp topic: how to format tables! First, + most imp point: table in an econ paper should be comprehensible w/o any cross-reference to text. Variables should be clearly defined (not "lnconsexp"; write "Consumption)"; + specification described in notes
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @LaDelgadoP @unioslo who works on topics related to labor, development, immigration + firms
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @LaDelgadoP @unioslo who works on topics related to labor, development, immigration + firms
Two interesting new papers #econtwitter #econsky about intrahousehold allocation Qs in EDCC! From @nehaaecon + Milazzo: evidence across 44 countries shows that mothers of first-born daughters have ⬆️ incidence of anemia, ⬇️ survival into old age
November 3, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Two interesting new papers #econtwitter #econsky about intrahousehold allocation Qs in EDCC! From @nehaaecon + Milazzo: evidence across 44 countries shows that mothers of first-born daughters have ⬆️ incidence of anemia, ⬇️ survival into old age
Sign of the [depressing] times in dev econ research: realized that for the first time in what must be years, I have no data collection planned next year. . .an apparently survey-free 12 months. Hard to believe
October 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Sign of the [depressing] times in dev econ research: realized that for the first time in what must be years, I have no data collection planned next year. . .an apparently survey-free 12 months. Hard to believe
Tip for starting empirical researchers: you should spend just as much time looking at the N in your regression findings as the coefficient and standard error (ignore the stars). You should know what the N is supposed to be + investigate when you see any surprises
October 29, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Tip for starting empirical researchers: you should spend just as much time looking at the N in your regression findings as the coefficient and standard error (ignore the stars). You should know what the N is supposed to be + investigate when you see any surprises
Another banger from Finnish admin data thanks to @anarodriguezg_ @J_HumanResource: robust evidence of ⬆️ relative female education leading to ⬇️ marriage + fertility, due to mismatches in educational dist btw men and women
October 28, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Another banger from Finnish admin data thanks to @anarodriguezg_ @J_HumanResource: robust evidence of ⬆️ relative female education leading to ⬇️ marriage + fertility, due to mismatches in educational dist btw men and women
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @eco_osuna who works on topics related to development + labor
October 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @eco_osuna who works on topics related to development + labor
Happy to share a new short evidence brief #econtwitter #econsky summarizing evidence on cash versus food transfers joint w/the amazing @Ugentilini. Our goal is to provide a fairly concise, policy-relevant overview of a few points in this huge literature
October 23, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Happy to share a new short evidence brief #econtwitter #econsky summarizing evidence on cash versus food transfers joint w/the amazing @Ugentilini. Our goal is to provide a fairly concise, policy-relevant overview of a few points in this huge literature
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @robertohsu @NOVAFRICA @NovaSBE who works on topics related to labor, entrepreneurship, and finance
October 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @robertohsu @NOVAFRICA @NovaSBE who works on topics related to labor, entrepreneurship, and finance
They say it's forgetting the pain of childbirth that enables the human race to expand but I think equally relevant is forgetting how loud 2 year olds can bellow
October 20, 2025 at 7:08 PM
They say it's forgetting the pain of childbirth that enables the human race to expand but I think equally relevant is forgetting how loud 2 year olds can bellow
Over last 4 years, I led a RCT of a graduation program targeting IDP hhs in Baidoa, Somalia - rare opportunity for poverty reduction (+evidence generation) in one of the poorest contexts in the world. New devastating news re accelerating impact of USAID's destruction there
October 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Over last 4 years, I led a RCT of a graduation program targeting IDP hhs in Baidoa, Somalia - rare opportunity for poverty reduction (+evidence generation) in one of the poorest contexts in the world. New devastating news re accelerating impact of USAID's destruction there
Important new paper on mental health in PhD programs finally published: from @EvaRanehill @Sanna_Bergvall @annahsandberg, evidence that in Sweden, use of psychiatric medicine sharply ⬆️ after enrollment in PhD compared to other highly educated ind, up to a peak of 40%
October 14, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Important new paper on mental health in PhD programs finally published: from @EvaRanehill @Sanna_Bergvall @annahsandberg, evidence that in Sweden, use of psychiatric medicine sharply ⬆️ after enrollment in PhD compared to other highly educated ind, up to a peak of 40%
Have noticed the number of journals with explicit policies around use of AI in referee reports (i.e., mandated acknowledgment of policies ruling out this use) is increasing *extremely* rapidly
October 13, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Have noticed the number of journals with explicit policies around use of AI in referee reports (i.e., mandated acknowledgment of policies ruling out this use) is increasing *extremely* rapidly
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @sawar92 @LifeAtLUMS who works on topics related to health, labor + development
October 13, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @sawar92 @LifeAtLUMS who works on topics related to health, labor + development
#econtwitter #econsky: recently used Refine.ink (developed by @ben_golub) as a AI assessment tool for papers + it is amazing, so wanted to share some examples of what it can do if you are curious. (It's much, much better than other free tools I've used)
October 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
#econtwitter #econsky: recently used Refine.ink (developed by @ben_golub) as a AI assessment tool for papers + it is amazing, so wanted to share some examples of what it can do if you are curious. (It's much, much better than other free tools I've used)
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @KipkechElijah, a brand-new PhD from @tcdeconomics: congratulate him! Have been seeing Elijah's work for years, was excited to meet him for the first time this year + now feature him here
October 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Today's cool young researcher #econtwitter #econsky is @KipkechElijah, a brand-new PhD from @tcdeconomics: congratulate him! Have been seeing Elijah's work for years, was excited to meet him for the first time this year + now feature him here
Banger headline
October 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Banger headline