Short Biography

Currently serving as a Senior Research Assistant, Amal is coordinating two research projects overseeing both the Quantitative and Qualitative components. She is skilled in implementing and conducting quantitative research following impact evaluation research designs, analyzing observational and cross-sectional data, matching techniques to construct a counterfactual to make estimationions of the outcome. One of her research projects aimed at facilitating the career progression of female workers relies on covariate matching to estimate the effects of a capacity building program on productivity, worker well-being, aspirations, and other outcomes. The other project she’s coordinating is a qualitative and quantitative study that aims to investigate the adoption of sustainable energy sources among ready-made garment factories in Bangladesh. It combines qualitative interviews, surveys, and case studies to gather data and analyze the barriers, drivers, and implications of renewable energy adoption within the apparel sector. Previously, in 2021, she was in core team of the The “Gender and COVID-19 Research Project', funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a unique multi-country study that analyzed, identified and documented the gendered dynamics of COVID-19 and gaps in preparedness and response in real time. It provided policy guidance and recommendations for those delivering public health interventions. Besides her research endeavors, Amal has served as a teaching fellow in the modules of Epidemiology, Respectful Maternity Care & Health Systems Management in the MPH programme at JPGSPH. Furthermore, she has mentored the MPH students with their theses under the theme Nutrition. Alongside her work commitments, Amal has made valuable contributions to academic publications. Her research papers cover a range of critical topics, including the socio-economic and emotional health challenges in informal settlements in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the unequal burden of responsibilities borne by women during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also actively participated in the creation of policy briefs and designed a Gender Analysis and COVID-19 Matrix in the context of Bangladesh.