LEAP Affiliates Secures Two ERC Starting Grants for frontier research

The Laboratory for Effective Antipoverty Policies (LEAP)at Bocconi University is thrilled to announce the award of two prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants. These grants have been awarded to two LEAP Affiliates, Professor Michela Carlana and Professor Erika Deserranno, to lead transformative projects in their respective fields.

Prof. Michela Carlana will lead the project entitled "Stereotypes and Opportunities: Fostering Interactions and Awareness (SOFIA)". This work will focus on investigating the formation of stereotypes and developing policies designed to mitigate educational disparities. Leveraging insights from behavioural economics and causal machine learning techniques, Professor Carlana's work will focus on evidence from Italy, Finland, and Chile. This project directly addresses the critical policy debate surrounding the effective reduction of discrimination to promote educational attainment among disadvantaged or underrepresented groups.

Prof. Erika Deserranno will lead the project titled "Digitalization of Public Service Delivery and Inclusive Development (DIGDEV)". This ambitious research initiative aims to deepen our comprehension of the factors contributing to the success or failure of digitalization of public services. This project will implement four randomized experiments across countries currently undergoing public service digitization, including India, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, looking at ways in which digital technologies can enhance the efficiency and inclusivity of public service delivery, fostering more equitable economic growth.

At LEAP, we are honoured to host these innovative projects, which will allow us to delve into the crucial intersection of digitalization and public service delivery, and to explore novel strategies for reducing stereotypes and promoting educational equality. This extraordinary achievement reaffirms our institution's commitment to shaping poverty-alleviation policies through rigorous, scientific research methodologies.

Read the official Bocconi press release here