I work at the intersection of research, public policy and science communication at J-PAL Europe, and I am an associated researcher at LISER. From 2025, I am a Research Affiliate at the IZA-LISER network.

I obtained my PhD from the School of Business and Economics at Maastricht University, in collaboration with IIES – Stockholm University, where I visited for several periods between 2018 and 2022.

I was a Robert S. McNamara Fellow at DIME - World Bank in 2021-2022. I have. In the fall semester of 2019, I visited the Global Poverty Research Lab at Northwestern University. 

Previously, I worked in Uganda and Tanzania, managing impact evaluations for the World Bank & Innovations for Poverty Action. Also, I conducted a research study in the Ivory Coast on a UN-IFAD program related to ex-combatants' reintegration through agriculture. I am also Co-Founder of BOWEN - Bolivian Women in Economics Network.  

I am proudly a Bolivian and naturalised Italian citizen.

Full CV here and research here 

For my photography website, visit here

Contacts:

Email: msilvavargas @ povertyactionlab.org
Instagram: marijo.silva.vargas