Events

Measuring Development 2022: The Role of Mobile Data in Global Development Research

May 11, 2022

In person and virtual options available

Kelan Sing, a fisherman from Taremb community, on Vanuatu's Malekula Island, says he can now text for help while at sea.

OVERVIEW
Organizers
Agenda

It is nearly impossible to participate in the modern economy without mobile devices. Over 6 billion people now have access to smartphones, and the use of sensors to measure things like power quality, cookstove use, and air pollution are becoming more common. The expansion of mobile banking, online social networks, and the sharing economy have made mobile devices essential parts of every day social and economic activity. As a result of their ubiquity, mobile measurement tools and mobile data offer an attractive resource for researchers interested in addressing complex challenges like poverty, climate change, and public health crises around the world.

At Measuring Development 2022: The Role of Mobile Data in Global Development Research, we’ll take a look at how researchers and policymakers are using mobile data to conduct innovative research to solve global challenges. MeasureDev will feature a series of presentations, panel discussions, and lightning talks on novel applications of mobile technology and mobile data for research. Participants will learn about the frontiers of measurement using mobile devices, and gain perspectives from leading academic and industry pioneers.
Geo4Dev Workshops
Alongside MeasureDev, participants are invited to join our Geospatial Analysis for Development (Geo4Dev) workshops on Thursday, May 12^th. These hands-on workshops will walk participants through innovative applications of satellite data for various types of development research (see our Geo4Dev learning modules for examples).
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) is the West Coast hub for research on global development, headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley.

The World Bank's Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) group generates high-quality and operationally relevant data and research to transform development policy, help reduce extreme poverty, and secure shared prosperity.

The Analytics and Tools unit in the World Bank's Development Economics Data Group delivers data science products and analytical services to support World Bank lending and data operations.

Wednesday, May 11, 2022 Time (EDT/GMT-4) Presentation
8:30 – 9:00 am	BREAKFAST
9:00 – 9:30 am	Introduction Carson Christiano (CEGA) Framing remarks Arianna Legovini (World Bank) → Watch Recording
9:30 – 10:20 am	Session 1: Mobile data for Development Chair: Melis Guven, Global Lead for Social Protection Delivery Systems, World Bank
	Machine learning and phone data can improve the targeting of humanitarian aid Emily Aiken (UC Berkeley)** \| Suzanne Bellue, Dean Karlan, Chris Udry, Josh Blumenstock Port-Au-Prince Calling: Informing Resilience to Social Unrest with Mobile Communication Networks Daniel Putman (UPenn)** \| Travis Lybbert Using Mobile Phone Data to Measure Seasonal Labor Flows Xiao Hui Tai (UC Berkeley)** \| Suraj R. Nair, Shikhar Mehra → Watch Recording
10:20 – 10:40 am	BREAK
10:40 – 11:30 am	Session 2A: Mobile data for health Chair: Olusoji Adeyi, President, Resilient Health Systems and Senior Associate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
	Impact of mobile network expansion on infant mortality Kibrom Tafere (World Bank)** \| Justice Tei Mensah, Kibrom A. Abay Mobile phone-based diagnostics for Neglected Tropical Diseases María Díaz de León Derby (UC Berkeley)** \| Michael V. D’Ambrosio, Maxim Armstrong, Daniel H. Friedman, Neil Switz, Isaac I. Bogoch, Daniel A. Fletcher Mobile data collection to map risk factors for antibiotic-resistant E. coli in Ecuador Heather Amato (UC Berkeley)** \| Carlos Saraiva-García, Fernanda Loayza, Amy J. Pickering, Lee W. Riley, Gabriel Trueba, Jay P. Graham → Watch Recording
11:30 – 12:20 pm	Session 2B: Mobile data and Covid-19 Chair: Norbert Schady, Chief Economist for Human Development, World Bank Group
	The Viral Spread of COVID-19 Information: A social media experiment in Pakistan Arman Rezaee (UC Davis)** \| Sarojini Hirshleifer, Mustafa Naseem, Agha Ali Raza Uncovering socioeconomic gaps in mobility reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic using location data Lorenzo Lucchini (Bocconi)** (virtual) \| Sam Fraiberger, Pablo Astudillo, Lorenzo Candeago, Alex Chunet, Nicholas Jones, Maham Faisal Khan, Bruno Lepri, Nancy Lozano Gracia, Emanuele Massaro, Aleister Montfort Using Social Media Campaigns to Promote Health-Seeking Behaviors of Households Victor Orozco (World Bank) (virtual)** \| Nandan Rao, Dante Donati, Ana Maria Munoz Boudet → Watch Recording
12:20 – 1:00 pm	LUNCH (catered)
1:00 – 1:30pm	Overview: Mobile Data in Global Development Research Sveta Milusheva (World Bank) → Watch Recording
1:30 – 2:30 pm	Session 3: Mobile data for transport Chair: Nicolas Peltier, incoming Global Director for Transport, World Bank
	Measuring the Incidence and Reporting of Violence Against Women in Public Spaces in Dar es Salaam Girija Borker (World Bank)** \| Naira Kalra, Samuel Likindikoki, Ester Steven COVID-19 Policies and Road Safety: The Case of Nairobi Rob Marty (World Bank)** \| Sveta Milusheva, Arianna Legovini, Peter Taniform, Caitlin Dolkart, Kelvin Gakuo, Amy Dolinger, Guadalupe Bedoya Private and public transport in Lagos: how mobile phones can help researchers understand mobility Alice Duhaut (World Bank), Nick Tsivanidis, Dan Björkegren Demand for ‘safe spaces’: Avoiding harassment and stigma Florence Kondylis (World Bank), Arianna Legovini, Luiza Cardoso de Andrade, Astrid Zwager, Kate Vyborny → Watch Recording
2:30 – 2:50 pm	COFFEE BREAK
2:50 – 3:50 pm	Session 4: Methods for mobile data Chair: Aart Kraay, Director of Development Policy and Deputy Chief Economist, World Bank
	Framework to Study Migration Decisions Using Call Detail Record (CDR) Data Vanessa Frias-Martinez (Maryland)** \| Viren Dias, Lasantha Fernando, Yusen Lin, Louiqa Raschid Digital Breadcrumbs: Testing the Limits of Cell Phone Metadata in Poverty and Impact Assessment Oscar Barriga Cabanillas (World Bank)** \| Josh Blumenstock, Travis J. Lybbert, Daniel Putman Assessing Bias in Smartphone Mobility Estimates in Low Income Countries Dan Björkegren (Brown)** \| Sveta Milusheva, Leonardo Viotti Evaluating the efficacy of SMS surveys for measuring household welfare and firm performance Megan Lang (UCSB)** \| Ethan Ligon → Watch Recording
3:50 – 4:00 pm	BREAK
4:00 – 5:00 pm	Lightning Talks
	Advantages & disadvantages of IVR data collection Marisa Nowicki (ideas42) \| Lois Ayree, Catherine MacLeod, Saugato Datta Where do people spend their time and money? An empirical mobility big data case study for Nairobi Vivek Sakhrani (Atlas AI) Eyes on the Ground: Crop monitoring through smartphone pictures of plots Berber Kramer (IFPRI) \| Koen Hufkens, Berber Kramer, Benson Njuguna, Lilian Waithaka, and collaborators from Dvara E-Registry Using mobile phone transaction data to study digital financial inclusion Suraj Nair (UC Berkeley)** \| Joshua E. Blumenstock From In-Person to Mobile Data Collection in Kenya Winnie Mughogho (Busara) Mobile operator data partnerships: lessons from COVID-19 response and urban planning use cases Zach White (GSMA) → Watch Recording
5:00 – 7:00 pm	Hors d’Oeuvres and Refreshments outside of MC C2-350

Geo4Dev Workshop Tutorials May 12, 2022 Time (Eastern) Presentation
9:15 – 9:30 am	Introduction to Geospatial Analysis for Development Doug Glandon (3ie)
9:30 – 11:30 am	Applications of Remote Sensing for Impact Evaluation Using our newest tutorial from 3ie, learn how to leverage remotely sensed data, combining theory and hands-on practical code, to generate evidence for impact evaluation Aayush Malik
11:30 am – 12:30 pm	Lunch (self-serve, World Bank cafeteria)
12:30 – 2:30 pm	Population Weighted Wealth Tutorial Emily Aiken