Laurenz Langer

Senior Research Fellow

Laurenz is the executive director of the South Africa Centre for Evidence NPC (SACE), a non-profit organisation set up to supporting the use of evidence by African decision-makers to reduce poverty and inequality on the continent. He specialises in the production of evidence syntheses and in the design of institutional knowledge systems to support the use of bodies of evidence by decision-makers. His work focusses on supporting national government decision-makers to integrate bodies of evidence (e.g. evidence maps, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses) in the formulation and design of public policies and programmes in South Africa. This includes the institutionalisation of policy-relevant evidence maps, responsive evidence services, and co-production approaches. Laurenz has conducted over 60 systematic reviews and evidence maps, including reviews published by the Campbell Collaboration and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence. He is the lead author of the Science of Using Science Report, a systematic review of what works to increase evidence-use. He holds a PhD from the University College London and a BA degree in Development Studies from the University of Johannesburg.


The Research Fellows Program brings together experts from diverse backgrounds to provide intellectual leadership and technical support to strategic areas for 3ie. Our fellows work with our global team and are uniquely positioned to lead or support new and ongoing initiatives and programs in their areas of expertise.