Chris Blattman

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Let the survey (and fire eating) begin

We’re ready to launch one of our surveys in Liberia, prompting the most important activity of the research program: the survey launch party.

I’m adjusting to life as a professor, not a post-doc or grad student, and so this is the first survey party I have missed (curse you, classes). I can only enjoy the photos. Fun, but standard so far:

Wait a minute. What is this? Why is my enumerator carrying fire?

Oh no. I hope our health insurance people are not watching this.

Questions pre-tested? Check. Handheld survey computers programmed? Check. Fire-dance performed? Check.

We are ready to go.

(Bryan and Gwen: it is only with great mercy–and reluctance–that your dance contest pictures were not posted.)

5 Responses

  1. That first picture is actually of the Yale dance team, after we successfully out-danced the UNDP project dance team and the Stanford project dance team.. you’ve taught us all well Chris.
    Yale brought home the cup on this fine fine day.

  2. @Andrew: I plan to post soon about the PDAs, but short answers:

    – The Palm Z22 — cheap and reliable and low in power consumption

    – Used it once in Uganda, but this is the first big test

    – Fairly reliable in sunlight. You need enumerators with decent eyesight though.

    – We can do some logical and data checks, but programming is a hassle, so we are too sophisticated in that department yet.

    – It comes down to 4 words: Instantaneous. Costless. Data. Entry.

  3. Out of curiosity, what hand held device are you using?

    Have you used it for other surveys?

    Is it easy to read in sunlight?

    Were you able to program logical and other data checks?

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