Predoctoral Research Fellowship – PDRI

Program Information

Applications are now closed. Please check back for any updates.

Launched in 2022, the PDRI-DevLab Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program supports outstanding young scholars from around the world with interests in international development and potential for success in an academic career in the social sciences.

The program provides exceptional young scholars with an opportunity to work with leading Penn faculty on a variety of international development research projects, invest in their technical research skills, enroll in classes, and become part of the international development research community at Penn.

While at Penn, Predoctoral Fellows receive ongoing mentorship from Penn faculty, including advice and support on PhD applications. We expect individuals to work in this role for 1-2 years, before starting PhD level studies in the social sciences, or moving into applied social science careers.

Information for Applicants

Penn Development Research Initiative/DevLab@Penn (PDRI-DevLab) at the University of Pennsylvania invites applications for its predoctoral fellowship program. The program provides hands-on research experience to early career researchers, expand the representation of researchers from around the world in international development research, and provide a pathway for students to make the transition to globally competitive PhD programs. We encourage applications from recent BA, BS, MA, or MS graduates with a strong desire to attend a top global PhD program in the social sciences. We welcome applicants from a wide variety of research backgrounds and do not require a particular country focus or expertise. The predoctoral researchers will work on PDRI-DevLab research projects, receive mentorship from Penn faculty, and take classes.

Applicants should send the following materials:

C.V.
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A letter outlining research interests and fit with the goals of the fellowship. This letter should: a) outline prior experience that has led you to be interested in research on development and aspire to attain a PhD; b) explain your research interests; and c) explain how those aspirations overlap with the lab’s work and the goals of this fellowship. Letters should not exceed three single-spaced pages.

Current Predoctoral Fellows

Mahda Soltani

Born and raised in Iran, Mahda holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Departmental Honors, and a Bachelor of Arts in Law and Societies. Leveraging her interdisciplinary background, Mahda harnesses the transformative capabilities of data science and artificial intelligence to promote global peace and enhance international relations.

Ezgi Ecem Yilmaz

Born and raised in Türkiye, Ezgi Ecem holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University. Previously, she worked as a research intern at RTI International and as a consultant at MSI International. Her coursework and interests include political economy, rural development, international law, and gender equality with a passion for improving the welfare of socio-economically and historically disadvantaged groups for promoting social justice and peace.

Iman Dahr

Iman holds a Master’s in Economic Analysis and Public Policy, as well as a Bachelor’s in Applied Economics from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco. With a robust background in research and analysis, she has previously contributed as a Research Associate at J-PAL. Iman is deeply passionate about addressing various development challenges related to employment, climate change and poverty, and leveraging her education to drive impactful change and sustainable growth in developing communities.

Jitender Swami

Jitender is a Predoctoral Fellow with PDRI-DevLab and the Center for the Advanced Study of India (CASI). Before coming to Penn, Jitender worked as an Academic (Research & Teaching) Associate at the Indian Institute of Management – Amritsar in the Department of Economics. Previously, he was a Writing Urban India Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, India, and a Research Intern at Hyderabad Urban Lab. Jitender has a Master’s in Development Studies from the Indian Institute of Technology – Hyderabad and a Bachelors in Economics from the Central University of Karnataka. His interests lie in engaging with and contributing to academic research, especially the kind that strongly influences development policy and improves individual and collective human experiences.

Emile Honaminto Virgile Djohi

Born and raised in Benin, Emile holds a Master’s of Science in Mathematics, Economics, and Statistics from the African School of Economics. Before joining Penn, he worked as a research and teaching assistant at the Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE) and the African School of Economics, contributing to data analysis, geospatial modeling, and instruction in mathematics, econometrics, and programming. He also served as a TA for the QuantEcon Summer Course, collaborating with leading economists. Emile has gained industry experience through internships at MTN Benin, where he conducted customer experience research and predictive analytics, and at the Ministry of Digitalization, where he developed machine learning models for disease detection. Emile is experienced with R, Stata, Python, QGIS and Latex. His research interests include data science, impact evaluation, and economic impact of digital technologies.

Rwakazooba Ezra Aliija

Ezra holds a Master’s in Computer Science from Makerere University and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Mbarara University of Science and Technology. He has over five years of experience in data analysis and data management, focusing on using data-driven inference to aid decision-making. He has worked with major development organizations, including the World Bank and IFPRI, and has led extensive survey data collection efforts across multiple developing countries. His technical skills include advanced use of Stata, Python, GIS, and remote sensing for geospatial analysis and impact evaluation. He has also contributed to various World Bank projects, including studies on land tenure, urbanization, and public health, utilizing satellite imagery and machine learning. Additionally, he served as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for UNHCR in Congo. He has managed complex studies, designed data collection tools, and trained teams to ensure high-quality data analysis and reporting.

Fernanda Quintanilla

Fernanda received her a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Public Transformation focusing on Political Science and Data Science from Tec de Monterrey in June 2024. During her undergraduate studies, Fernanda contributed to research of leading political scientists as well as completed an exchange semester in Sciences Po Paris. She is experienced in designing and implementing experiments, programming surreys with Qualtrics, and conducting statistical analyses on large datasets using R and Stata. Her interests lie in gender norms and female empowerment, conflict, and more broadly, the transformation of deeply entrenched social norms that stand as obstacles to development.

Predoctoral Research Fellowship Program Alumni

Rethis Gansey

Before coming to Penn, Rethis worked at the Africa Institute for Research in Economics and Social Sciences (AIRESS) in Rabat, and previously served at the National Institute of Statistics and Demography (INStaD-Benin). Rethis has a Master’s in Economic Analysis and Public Polocy from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, a Master’s in Development Economics from the University of Paris, Dauphine, and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied States from the University of Parakou. Currently, Rethis is pursuing his PhD in Political Science at Princeton University.

Takondwa Moyo
Takondwa (TK) has a Master of Science in Policy Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, and a Bachelor of Science from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Her interests lie in policies ensuring sustainable poverty alleviation. While at PDRI-DevLab, TK primarily supported research projects on environmental conservation as well as migration, forced displacement, and human trafficking. She is currently a Research Coordinator with the World Food Program in Malawi.