Ford Program Core Team
Patrizio Piraino
DIRECTOR
Director of the Ford Program and professor of education, labor, and development in the Keough School of Global Affairs, Piraino's research focuses on the intersection of education and development, including human capital and labor market policies in developing regions, and the broader determinants of socio-economic disadvantage. More
Maurice Sikenyi
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Assistant Director of the Ford Program, Sikenyi hails from Kenya and is an educational and international development scholar, practitioner, researcher, and leader. His research focuses on the intersections of education, armed conflict, and development in developing countries. More
Fr. Robert Dowd, CSC
FOUNDING DIRECTOR
18th President of the University of Notre Dame, Father Dowd is a professor of political science. Dowd’s research has focused on African politics, identity politics, and religion and politics. His research has also explored the effects of religious beliefs and institutions on the integration of migrants/refugees in Europe and the effects of faith-based schools on citizenship and civic engagement in Africa. He is the author of the book Christianity, Islam, and Liberal Democracy: Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa. More
Prakriti Shakya
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Shakya is a research associate at the Ford Program. Her research interests include early childhood development, family dynamics, environment, food insecurity, and poverty alleviation. She has completed fieldwork in Uganda and Nepal. More
Khadijat Atere
PREDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
Atere is a predoctoral research associate at the Ford Program. Her research focuses on education, sustainable development, and data-driven policy to generate evidence that informs practice and improves development outcomes. More
Undergraduate Student Research Assistants
Hope Adero is a junior, majoring in Economics. She is involved with the Powerful Means Initiative (PMI) at the Mendoza College of Business where she conducts primary research in Uganda with a partnering vocational school (St. Bakhita’s Vocational Training Center-Kalongo) in Northern Uganda that trains young women in entrepreneurship and skills-based trades such as fashion and design/ tailoring and hairdressing. Having read about the Ford Program’s work in Kenya and Uganda in the Kellogg Institute for International Studies newsletter, Hope, who comes from Northern Uganda, was inspired to join an organization making impactful differences in communities similar to those where she grew up. "At the Ford Program, I want to apply my background in economics to development research and continue to expand my understanding of human development and social impact."
Ada Austin is a junior, majoring in Business Analytics with double minors in Real Estate and Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation. On the social impact side, she previously served as a PATH teacher with the Alliance for Catholic Education Program, where she taught 8th-grade writing and Home Economics to students preparing for high school. In the business space, she has had the opportunity to consult with multiple organizations through various projects, including conducting market analyses for two nonprofit organizations over the summer. "I chose to join the Ford Program because I believe deeply in making a meaningful impact through one’s work. The Ford Program’s global approach to fostering human dignity and development aligns with my desire to contribute to positive change while building and refining my skills along the way."
Adam Scott is a fourth-year Architecture student with a minor in Real Estate, passionate about the social and environmental dimensions of design. His research has explored topics ranging from sustainable urbanism in Asia to equitable community development across the U.S. Northeast. His project experience is diverse, spanning contexts from immersive haunted house designs to large-scale commercial spaces in Washington, D.C. "I joined the Ford Program to contribute to research that addresses meaningful global challenges and aligns with my commitment to purposeful, human-centered design."