Manabu Nose (Appointed in AY2025)

I research the development of cities and firms in developing countries, specifically the effects of transport infrastructure and digital technology, as well as public finance in developing nations. I have been interested in development assistance since my undergraduate years. While involved in international cooperation practices, including ODA loan projects, and policy-making at the World Bank and IMF, I have consistently worked on the theme of infrastructure. I started my career in the practice of development assistance, but my desire to deepen my expertise in policy evaluation grew stronger, leading me to pursue graduate studies in the United States to become a researcher. At Brown University, I conducted field research on disaster relief following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in Aceh, Indonesia. Subsequently, at the IMF, I spent many years working on macroeconomic forecasting, financial assistance, and research for Asian and African countries. I believe these experiences fostered my awareness of the issues and led to my current research themes.

Development economics is a very broad, interdisciplinary field. The real thrill lies not only in pursuing academic significance and novelty but also in being able to respond directly to the various policy issues and needs faced by policymakers and international organizations. Research methods are also diverse, ranging from traditional field surveys to randomized controlled trials, which became popular in the 2000s, and structural estimation based on economic theory. Furthermore, cutting-edge research utilizing satellite imagery, mobile phone call records, and administrative data is actively being conducted. Particularly in the fields of urban development, infrastructure, and public finance, analysis combining economic theory with the latest data analysis is progressing. The greatest appeal is the ability to mobilize these state-of-the-art academic methods to reflect findings based on empirical evidence into policy practice and create a significant impact.

Throughout my career, I have strived to address development issues while keeping an eye on both academic research and the front lines of policy-making. Looking back, I feel that every experience in my undergraduate seminar activities, the connections I made, and the encounters at each institution have become great assets in my research and career development. Life offers diverse options, and there is no single career path. I hope that students will cherish the questions they find interesting and continue to hone their strengths based on that curiosity while carving out a career path that they find satisfying.