Kate Bird
About Kate Bird
Kate Bird is a Research Associate at the Overseas Development Institute, where she has worked since 2009. She has extensive experience in poverty analysis and development policy, having conducted studies in various countries including Zimbabwe, Cambodia, and Rwanda.
Work at ODI
Kate Bird has been a Research Associate at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) since 2009. In this role, she has contributed to various research projects focusing on poverty dynamics and development issues. Prior to her current position, she served as a Research Fellow at ODI from 2002 to 2009. During her tenure, she worked on significant initiatives related to poverty monitoring and development progress.
Education and Expertise
Kate Bird holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Leicester, where she studied from 1985 to 1988. She also obtained a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of London in 1995. Additionally, she earned a Post Graduate Certificate of Education from the University of Leicester in 1989. Her educational background equips her with a strong foundation in geography and economics, which informs her research in poverty and development.
Background
Before joining ODI, Kate Bird worked at the University of Birmingham as a Lecturer and Director of the Master in Poverty Reduction and Development Management program from 1996 to 2002. She also held positions as a Research Assistant at the Institute of Development Studies and the University of London, focusing on food security. Her diverse experiences in academia and research institutions have shaped her expertise in poverty analysis and development strategies.
Research Contributions
Kate Bird has conducted significant research on poverty dynamics, including a mixed methods study in Zimbabwe funded by FCDO-Zimbabwe, which examined the impact of Covid on poverty. She led a USAID-funded study in Cambodia to explore differential poverty outcomes and contributed to the evaluation of the World Food Programme's Purchase for Progress initiative as a gender analyst in 2011. Her work has informed national policy processes and development strategies in various contexts.
Professional Roles
In addition to her role at ODI, Kate Bird has served as a Technical Advisor for the Poverty Monitoring Initiative in India, where she analyzed the impact of Covid on poverty and livelihoods. She also worked as a Senior Advisor on Development Progress Stories at ODI from 2013 to 2015. Her various roles reflect her commitment to understanding and addressing poverty issues through research and policy analysis.