Paul Thissen

Paul leads both impact evaluation projects and communications efforts to effectively disseminate 3ie’s research findings. He spearheads the organization’s involvement in the PeaceFIELD initiative, a joint project with the International Security and Development Center, which aims to conduct impact evaluations of interventions supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund. He also serves as a lead editor of and author for 3ie's blog, in addition to contributing to the development of tailored research dissemination materials.

Paul has experience as both a multi-method social science researcher and a news reporter. His regional focus is Central Africa and the Sahel, where he applies quantitative and qualitative tools to questions of governance, rule of law, peace, violent extremism, and conflict. He has led an evaluation of a stabilization project in Northern Cameroon funded by the USAID Office of Transition Initiatives, conducted extensive research in Chad supported by the US Institute of Peace, and worked as a Freedom House analyst. Before that, he spent five years as a daily newspaper reporter in the San Francisco Bay Area covering state and local governments.

Paul holds a PhD and MA in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BS in Economics and Journalism from Northwestern University.