BIG Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE)

Students interested in conducting their policy analysis exercise on a behaviorally-informed project can access fantastic support for their applied research project through BIG.

BIG PAE Resources

1. Source a project/client through BIG: Connections to potential PAE clients for behaviorally-informed projects. See full list of potential projects for 2018-19 below.
2. Research Support: BIG can facilitate connections to faculty, students and outside governments and agencies conducting similar work on your research area of interest. With a global network of experts, BIG is able to help student secure interviews with and support from experts most relevant to their projects.
3. BIG Faculty Advisors: The BIG faculty at HKS are potential advisors for PAE projects; as long as students have a main advisor within HKS, BIG can facilitate additional support from relevant faculty outside of HKS.
4. Financial Support: HKS students can also apply to BIG for funding through the HKS Winter Funding Process (HKS students may apply for up to three HKS centers for winter funding for their projects).

Past Projects

Students who did behavioral science-themed PAEs in 2015-2016 worked with clients such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets, and Rio, Brazil’s City Hall. You can see a sample PAE, completed by Phil Ames (MPP 2016) and James Wilson (MPP/MBA 2016) for Andrew Leigh, Leigh, Federal Member for Fraser in the Parliament of Australia, here. BIG also has access to other past behavioral PAE projects, and we can share these with students directly (providing we have permission to share).

2018-2019 Clients

Full details about potential projects and clients can be found here. This list will be updated as new projects are confirmed.

Recent clients/projects:

1. Behavioral Insights Global
2. Carr Communications, Ireland
3. City of Tacoma, WA
4. Frances West Co.
5. Town of Milford, MA
6. Aporta, Lima, Peru
7. Vote Tripling, Washington, DC
8. Harvard University

How Do I Get Connected? 

Send an email to maja_niksic@hks.harvard.edu to schedule a meeting, including your client(s)/project(s) of interest, resume, and a short statement of interest.