Vol. 1 Notre Dame, Indiana February 2026

Mamoor Ali Khan

Research Operations Specialist at the Kellogg Institute
Profile 01

From the historic streets of Peshawar to Notre Dame. I am a Research Operations Specialist currently managing international research teams across Colombia, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the United States.

"A decade bridging quantitative rigour with the human complexities of development research."

My specialty lies in panel data construction, OLS-based analysis, and directing end-to-end field operations.

Identification 02
Mamoor Ali Khan
Contact View CV LinkedIn
Documenting travels
through photography
@adventourist1
Metrics 03
12+
Years in Field
6
Countries
10+
Projects Led
3
Universities
Princeton University Yale University Kellogg Institute Stanford University USAID Review of Economic Studies Science British Journal of Political Science Comparative Political Studies European University Institute
Feature: My Journey 04

It began in 2013. Fresh out of Computer Science, I found myself not in a tech startup, but as an intern in a pharmaceutical firm. It was there, amidst the rows of numbers and spreadsheets, that I discovered my true language: Data.

I realized I had a specific talent; I could listen to what the data was saying and shape it to tell the truth of the business. This skill propelled me to Assistant Product Manager, where I crafted marketing strategies for OTC products. But I wanted more impact. I made a pivotal decision to pursue a Master's in Development Studies, a decision that finally married my technical programming roots with the human-centric world of development practice.

This path led me to impactful work with USAID and UNHCR projects, but the true turning point was the mentorship I received. I met Dr. Luke Sonnet, under whose wing I delved into the realm of data analysis. Though I will always consider myself a student of the craft, I have built a proven track record. My specialty is shaping raw data into panel form and using OLS to solve problems. I like to think of myself as a "Data Wizard" :-)

From Peshawar to Notre Dame. Today, I write this as a Research Manager at the Kellogg Institute, University of Notre Dame. It is a reality that feels worlds apart from where I began. My journey from the historic streets of Peshawar to the United States was paved with grit, the generosity of mentors, and an unyielding conviction to believe in oneself, transcending the fear of embarrassment and failure.

In Gratitude

Dr. Miriam Golden

She trusted a naive boy with her most precious projects. I still recall the sting of embarrassment in early meetings, acutely aware of my lack of international education. Yet, where others might have seen a liability, Dr. Golden never lost faith. She has been the unshakable pillar of my career and has fundamentally shaped my life. I offer her my deepest respect; I simply cannot thank her enough.

Dr. Saad Gulzar

Dr. Gulzar is the catalyst for my professional ascent. He opened doors I did not know existed, giving me multiple opportunities within his research and introducing me to brilliant minds at Stanford, Yale, and Princeton. He didn't just give me a role; he gave me a horizon.

Record: Experience 05
OCT 2025
PRESENT
Research Manager Kellogg Institute, Notre Dame
In this capacity, I demonstrate strong global leadership by managing international research teams across Colombia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and the United States. My role centers on quantitative analysis and methodological rigor; I oversee the entire lifecycle of data collection and management for multiple ongoing projects, supervising coding workflows to ensure absolute consistency. Beyond the technical scope, I drive strategic operations by managing research budgets, reporting on project fund allocation, and guiding the analytical writing for high-level research reports and academic papers.
MAY 2023
SEPT 2025
Senior Associate Princeton University (Based in Pakistan)
Operating on the ground in Pakistan, specifically within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), I led advanced data analysis and stakeholder management for Princeton's research initiatives. I collaborated closely with principal investigators to produce complex project reports, piloting survey instruments locally to ensure they effectively captured the region's nuances. I exercised operational leadership by training local field staff on research protocols and monitoring teams to ensure strict adherence to procedures. Furthermore, I fostered critical government relations by developing new partnerships with the KP Local Government Department and Election Commission.
JUN 2022
APR 2023
Lead Research Manager Yale University (Based in Pakistan)
While stationed in Pakistan, I managed a massive, multi-national research program spanning six countries: Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Lebanon, and Pakistan. This role required strategic program management from my base in the region, where I hired country managers and supervised social experiments across all territories. I established a centralized coordination cell to streamline communication strategies and developed a robust research database to organize complex datasets. My work culminated in a comprehensive analysis of these experiments, where I designed the complete analysis strategy and presented findings in detailed reports.
OCT 2018
MAY 2022
Project Manager European University Institute (Based in Pakistan)
From my base in Pakistan, I focused on political communication and data integrity, establishing a coordination strategy to effectively engage with provincial incumbents across four provinces. I built relationships within the assembly to enroll incumbents in the study and developed the local communication strategy. My technical skills were pivotal in gathering, correcting, and validating research data to create representative visualizations for high-stakes presentations. I also ensured regulatory compliance by independently managing documentation and filings, helping the team navigate complex local regulatory requirements.
APR 2016
OCT 2018
Program Consultant USPCASE | USAID
As a Program Consultant for the U.S.-Pakistan Center on Advanced Studies in Energy, I conducted thorough reviews of internal systems and operations to devise and deploy strategic improvement plans. I developed targeted training plans to address areas of need and produced detailed, relevant reports to support critical business decisions. My contributions to the field were recognized at the National and International Conferences on Sustainable Green Technologies in 2016 and 2017.
JAN 2014
JUN 2015
Assistant Product Manager Libra Private Limited
Leveraging market analytics, I led category, brand, and competitive analyses to identify key consumer trends and drive strategic conclusions. I managed cross-functional teams to commercialize new products, working within a product pod environment alongside product developers, design teams, and software personnel. My role also involved rigorous vendor management, collaborating with vendors to verify service-level performance and influencing supplier manufacturing processes and technology decision-making to optimize customer service policies.
Index: Research Operations 06

Note on this portfolio: This portfolio spans nearly a decade of technical execution and operational leadership. While I do not claim authorship, I served as the technical backbone for these studies, driving rigorous data cleaning, coding in R, and statistical analysis alongside the management of complex field operations and stakeholder relationships.

Role: Policy Design & Visualization
Translating complex policy needs into actionable visual strategies. Responsible for conceptualizing and creating high-level "guiding light" frameworks for government application.
01
School Improvement Framework Illustration (Punjab 2026)
Concept by Farah Rehman | Official Policy Visual adopted by Govt. of Punjab.
Created the official illustration for the new 2026 policy, visualizing the strategic shift from teacher-centric metrics to child-centric learning outcomes.
Role: Project Director
Directed end-to-end research cycles. Responsibilities included developing survey instruments, supervising large-scale data collection, and executing rigorous data cleaning and preliminary statistical analysis using R.
01
Good Politicians: Experimental Evidence on Motivations for Political Candidacy
Gulzar, Saad, and Muhammad Yasir Khan. Review of Economic Studies (2024)
02
Random Acts of Kindness? How Gender Shapes Helping Behaviors Around the World
Gulzar, Saad, and Salma Mousa. Science (2024)
03
Pessimistic Beliefs of Norms: Descriptive Findings on Women's Political Participation
Gulzar, Saad, Luke Sonnet, and Muhammad Yasir Khan. Working Paper (2020)
04
Norms, Beliefs, and Networks: Descriptive Findings on Women's Political Participation
Gulzar, Saad, Luke Sonnet, and Muhammad Yasir Khan. Working Paper (2020)
Role: Country Project Manager (Pakistan)
Managed the Pakistan arm of multi-country projects. Specifically responsible for executing complex legislator data collection, ensuring data integrity, and high-level stakeholder management.
01
Preferences for Redistribution of Legislators: Survey Evidence from Three Countries
Ferroni, Matteo F., and Miriam A. Golden. Working Paper (2025)
02
Strong Support, Weak Policies: Views on Corruption of Citizens and Legislators
Ferroni, Matteo F., Raymond Fisman, and Miriam Golden. Working Paper (2025)
Role: Research Support & Data Analysis
Provided key technical execution including advanced R coding, large-scale data cleaning, web scraping, and database management. Coordinated high-level field activities, including MP workshops and governance conferences.
01
Political Responsiveness, Information Provision, and Capacity Gaps
Golden, Miriam, Saad Gulzar, and Luke Sonnet. Comparative Political Studies (2025)
02
The Global Legislators Database: Characteristics of National Legislators in the World's Democracies
Carnes, Nicholas, Joshua Ferrer, Miriam Golden, Esme Lillywhite, Noam Lupu, and Eugenia Nazrullaeva. British Journal of Political Science (2025)
03
Effects on Reelection Rates of the Introduction of Merit Civil Service Appointments in US States
Golden, Miriam, Eugenia Nazrullaeva, and Dylan Potts. Working Paper (2025)
04
Personalities and Public Sector Performance: Evidence from a Health Experiment in Pakistan
Callen, Michael, Saad Gulzar, Ali Hasanain, Muhammad Yasir Khan, and Arman Rezaee. Economic Development and Cultural Change (2025)
05
The Model Challenges: Gathering, Aggregating, and Evaluating Covid Mortality Models
Golden, Miriam A., Tara Slough, Haoyu Zhai, et al. Working Paper (2025)
06
Inaccurate Forecasting of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Ahrenshop, Mats, Miriam Golden, Saad Gulzar, and Luke Sonnet. Journal of Experimental Political Science (2024)
Directory: Affiliations 07
Since 2025

Mentor

Career Services Office (CSO), LUMS

Providing professional mentorship and career guidance to students at the Lahore University of Management Sciences to help navigate the development and research sectors.

Since 2024

Data and Research Analyst

Consortium for Development Policy Research (CDPR)

Focused on high-level policy research and data analysis, contributing to evidence-based policy making in Pakistan.

Oct 2019 to Dec 2022

Senior Research Associate

Center for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP)

Managed large-scale research projects, coordinated field teams, and ensured data quality for economic research initiatives.

Sept 2018 to Aug 2019

Research Supplier (Research Assistant)

Stanford University

Provided research assistance and data support for projects led by Dr. Saad Gulzar, contributing to political economy research.