Asad Islam is the Director of the Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability (CDES) and Professor of Economics at Monash University.   He is also an affiliated Professor at Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), MIT. He is one of the Chief Investigators for the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW). His research work spans a number of developing countries in Asia, Africa and Pacific Island countries. He has published widely in top economics and related journals. His work is supported is supported by ARC, ESRC, DFID/FCDO, AusAID (DFAT), International Growth Centre (IGC), European Commission, Asian Development Bank and World Bank.