Cleaner water, better evidence: A year of RTI's independent research and development

A few weeks ago, LinkedIn kindly informed me that I have been at RTI for nine years now. I came here after a similar tenure at USAID, in search of a place where I could work at the nexus of research, innovation, and implementation. As both a global research institute and a leading international development organization, RTI is the perfect place for that.

One thing that excites me about working at RTI is our significant investment in Independent Research and Development (IR&D). These investments, exceeding $5M annually, include early-stage innovation testing, tool and approach development, and applied research studies –– spanning our work in education, energy, environment, water, food security, health, and governance.?

As the fiscal year ends, and my 10th year at RTI begins, I wanted to share some of what we have accomplished in international development related IR&D.

Innovation Testing: Following agile design principles, we dedicate a portion of IR&D funding for early-stage innovation and rapid idea testing.

• In collaboration with the Triangle Environmental Health Initiative, my colleagues developed and piloted UVPhlo?, a novel household water treatment system, in Cambodia using sediment filters and ultra-violet light that provides access to clean water, something 30% of Cambodian households lack. This past year, we built the prototype using locally sourced materials, confirmed the water quality, and piloted it in homes and offices.
• In education, RTI has conducted student learning assessments in dozens of countries using the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), a diagnostic tool we helped develop 15 years ago. However, to date, we have lacked a way to measure students’ cognitive load during assessments, which could unpack results in meaningful ways.?This year, my education colleagues introduced thermography to EGRA via an infrared camera connected to our Tangerine assessment software. The new tool measures student cognitive load via skin temperature readings, generating insights helping teachers better understand student learning diagnostics.

New Tool Development: Development demands evidence-based tools and approaches that can be adapted for different sectors and contexts. This year, we invested in generating evidence for new implementation tools in energy, climate change, health and nutrition.

• In the energy sector, it is challenging to attract investments in mini-grids due to uncertainty around project development costs and unknown electricity demand. My energy and economist colleagues developed a GIS-based model to aid mini-grid network feasibility assessments without setting foot on the ground, providing analysis on a spatial scale that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive.
• Inspired by the USAID Climate Strategy’s call on implementing partners to “do their part,” my colleagues in RTI’s Center for Climate Solutions have developed and tested a Net Zero Action Toolkit and a GHG Dashboard that help our project offices measure, report, manage, and reduce GHG.

Applied Research: I sometimes marvel at the research assets we have at RTI: statisticians, applied economists, communication and behavioral scientists, among others, and the peer-reviewed, open access RTI Press. Our applied research studies make use of these assets.

• An interdisciplinary team of RTI researchers explored the effects of land use planning on environmental outcomes in Tanzania. Their mixed methods study used geospatial data to understand whether deforestation rates in Tanzania improved after adoption of a land use plan. The team then used qualitative methods to assess local populations’ perceptions of land use planning and its role in mitigating or adapting to climate change.
• In Cambodia, our Center for Thriving Children ran a study to understand the barriers, facilitators, and resilience capacities relevant for caregivers, families, and communities in supporting children with disabilities to reach their full potential. The research contributes to evidence on implementation of the Nurturing Care Framework for young children with disabilities and resilience among their households.

Looking forward, RTI recently announced a set of commitments to locally led development, including investing a larger portion of our IR&D funding in projects carried out with local partners; and increasing the percentage of our peer-reviewed publications with a local collaborating author. As we move into FY24 and with a new batch of IR&D projects just approved, I am excited about what we can do with local partners.?When LinkedIn reminds me of my work anniversary next year, I'll send an update on what we collectively achieved.