Rachel Glennerster

Rachel Glennerster is a British economist, author, and social scientist. She has conducted research and written extensively about poverty and gender inequality in the developing world. She is currently the Chief Economist for the U.K. Government's Department for International Development.

Glennerster was born in 1962 in London and spent much of her childhood in the Netherlands. She was educated at the London School of Economics, where she received her BSc, MSc, and Ph.D. in economics and finance. Glennerster's early research explored the impact of political institutions and the macroeconomic environment on individual's welfare outcomes. She tested these theories in field studies in Tanzania and Bangladesh. Her studies found that legal systems, land reform, and credit programs could have a significant effect on poverty.

Throughout her career, Glennerster has worked on a range of development issues, including health and education, labor markets and employment, and microfinance. She has written several books and articles on poverty, resources, and gender-based inequality. Her most famous book, Powerful Styles: Studies of Gender, Human Capital and Poverty (2017), describes the relationship between female economic agency, labor markets, and welfare outcomes. This groundbreaking work highlights the beneficial role women and girls can play in helping to reduce poverty.

Glennerster has received numerous awards in recognition of her work, including the inaugural Irving Kristol Award from the American Enterprise Institute in 2010. She was also a member of the Prime Minister’s Expert Group on Education and Social Mobility in the U.K. and served on the advisory committee of the National Institute of Economics and Social Research. She was appointed as Chief Economist at the Department for International Development in 2013.

Glennerster’s research and writings have proved invaluable in helping policymakers and international organizations plan and design poverty reduction strategies. She is a passionate advocate for women and girls, for whom she strives to create more economic opportunities in the developing world. Furthermore, Glennerster has focused on highlighting how representative bodies, research centers, and civil society can collaborate to reduce poverty and generate economic growth.

Rachel Glennerster’s work has made an invaluable contribution to the economics and social science literature. Her publications and research programs have provided valuable insights into the causes and impact of poverty, gender inequality, and development policies. Her research findings are widely cited within the field of economics and development. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Glennerster’s insights and research can help us to make more effective policies to reduce poverty and inequality.