Welcome! 

I am a PhD candidate in Economics at the London School of Economics, doing research in Development Economics. I study the relationship between evidence and policy, with a focus on the generalizability of evidence, and the use of evidence for policy decisions. 

Starting in September 2025, I will be joining the Center for Global Development as a fellow.

I hold an MSc in Economics for Development from Oxford University and a BSc in Economics from LSE. I have held research and policy positions at the World Bank and the UN. 

Email: m.rao3@lse.ac.uk 

Twitter: @mrao_econ | Bluesky: @mrao.bsky.social