Anupa Bir, ScD, MPH, is the Director for the Center of Advanced Methods Development at RTI International.

She is a health economist who has focused on improving the evaluation methods applied to research on the well-being of vulnerable populations. She has a particular interest in evaluating innovative interventions and their impacts on outcomes across traditional silos; for example, evaluating the impact of health care innovation on the workforce or family strengthening interventions on the financial well-being of families affected by incarceration. Her methodological interests relate to integrating data from various sources (qualitative, administrative, survey) and studies (meta-evaluation) to synthesize evidence for policy making.

Dr. Bir pursues research that connects various social service systems and varied research disciplines to improve policy and practice to support vulnerable children and families. She currently leads several contracts to evaluate complex health and social policy interventions. These interventions include innovative interventions to improve access to quality health care, provide financial incentives for asset development, and improve communication and family strength during stressful circumstances like incarceration and re-entry.

Previously, Dr. Bir worked as senior economist at Health Economics Research and as research associate at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Health Care Policy.