Varnitha Kurli

  • PUBLIC POLICY METHODOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Varnitha is presently working towards a PhD in Environmental Studies. Prior to her PhD., Varnitha was a Water Data Specialist in the World Bank’s Water Global Practice. Varnitha joined the Bank in July 2018 and she continues to provide analytical and advisory support and be a part of Country Climate and Development Reports. She also provided research assistance and completed survey and field work at the Indian School of Business, Council for Social Development, and AMR-Andhra Pradesh Academy of Rural Development. Varnitha's experiences have led her to conduct field work in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Ghana, and Myanmar.

At Mortenson Center, Varnitha works with Prof. Zia Mehrabi on climate driven internal displacement. She is particularly interested in how climate change drives population dynamics, predicting climate-driven internal displacement hotspots using novel datasets, and natural resource management, and data-driven solutions to development problems.

Outside of work, Varnitha enjoys painting (medium-acrylic and watercolor), cooking, hiking, running, and photography.

Education

  • B.A (Hons) Economics and Mathematics, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 2015
  • M.S. Logic, Computation, and Methodology, Carnegie Mellon University, 2017
  • P.G Diploma International Humanitarian Law, National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, India

Publications

Reports

Academic Papers

  • Menken, J., Kurli, V., Khan, M. Nizam., Williams, J. "Changing Expression of Gender Preference: The Case of Bangladesh" 2024. (Population Association of America 2024)
  • Fischer, W.H., Schultz, B., Coleman, E., Filippi, M.A., Guleria, V., Güneralp, B., Kurli, V., Lawrence. B ., Ma, A ., Ramprasad, V., Rana, P., Rana, R ., Solorzano,C. R., Fleischman, F "Forest Restoration for the Environment and Human Well-Being is Supported by Empowered Local Governance over Long Time Horizons". (2024). (under review PNAS)
  • Agrawal, A., Chhatre, A., Gerber, E., Kurli, V. “Material Incentives in Sustainable Development Interventions: Evidence for Skepticism". (2024). (under review Science)
  • Demaree, K., Kurli, V., Magnuszewski, P., Andersson, K., Thomas, E. "Development and Evaluation of a Digital Behavioral Economics Game Towards Improved Understanding of Groundwater Conservation in Southern Colorado". (2024). (under review Environment Science and Technology)
  • Kurli, V. "Two-Child Policy in India: Challenges for Incentive Tools in the Face of Conflicting Motives" (Preparing for Submission to World Development)
  • Kaur, K., Kurli, V., Andersson, K. "The Challenge of Governing Complex Forest Ecosystems: Can a Polycentric Approach Help?" Handbook of Institutions and Complexity (2024).
  • Kurli, Varnitha. "To Be (e) or Not To Be (e): Understanding the Economics of Voluntarism" The Massachusetts Undergraduate Journal of Economics (2016): 55.