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Research Assistants

External Validity of Randomized Controlled Trials

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) represent the gold standard for evaluating the effect of treatments within both medicine and the social sciences. However, if the effect of the treatment varies across subjects, and if the RCT suffers from non-compliance, then the estimated effect of the treatment from the RCT may not be indicative of the effect of the treatment in the population of interest. This project will further develop the econometric methodology for using data from an RCT with non-compliance to provide results with external validity for populations of interest.

Requisite Skills and Qualifications

(1) Econometrics: Having taken Econ 136 or equivalent course; (2) Math: knowledge of linear algebra and multivariate calculus, and knowledge of, or willing to learn, linear programming and generalizations of linear programing

Not required but preferred: (1) knowledge of real analysis; (2) be comfortable with coding skills in Matlab and/or R, or having some relevant coding background and be willing to learn Matlab and/or R; (3) familiarity with LaTeX or willing to learn.