Alison Cathles is an affiliated researcher at UNU-MERIT.  She holds a PhD in Innovation, Economics and Governance for Development from UNU-MERIT / Maastricht University and a Master’s in Public Administration and Public Policy from the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs (CIPA) at Cornell University.  She currently works as a freelance consultant for international organizations.  Before joining UNU-MERIT, she worked at the Inter-American Development Bank in the Competitiveness and Innovation division.  Previous work experience includes: collaboration on research projects and research assistance for Cornell’s Office for Research on Evaluation and for David Harrington at Kenyon College; workforce development at the YMCA in Boston, Massachusetts; direct support professional at a vocational training center with developmentally disabled adults and service in Envirocorps/Americorps in Portland, Oregon.  

Since joining UNU-MERIT she has worked as a researcher for IZA, tutored courses at the bachelor’s level, supervised and advised master’s students on their thesis projects, and given a few guest lectures on the topics of Innovation and Evaluation for bachelor’s and master’s classes.

Her research is focused on the role of vocational education in economic growth and innovation in education and skills training programs.  Broadly speaking, her main research interest is in the evolution of opportunities and challenges specific to developing skills in parallel with the technological changes taking place in the world around us.

Selected publications by Alison Cathles