Annamaria Prati

I am a Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor of Data Science at New York University's Center for Data Science. My research lies at the intersection of political methodology, international relations, and comparative politics, where I develop computational methods for causal inference using Bayesian machine learning, large language models, and micro-level administrative data. I am particularly interested in developing statistical tools that enable researchers to answer important substantive questions even when available data are incomplete, noisy, or difficult to collect. I will be on the academic job market during the 2026–2027 cycle.

My empirical research combines fieldwork in Nepal with micro-level administrative and remote-sensing data to study how international organizations build state capacity and strengthen local governance. More broadly, I study questions of state capacity, international organizations, and development.

My research has appeared in Artificial Intelligence and Statistics (AISTATS), received the American Political Science Association Best Poster Award, and been supported by the Center for Race, Ethnicity, and Equity, the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy, and the Institute of Humane Studies.

Before joining NYU, I earned a PhD in Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis, master's degrees from the University of Chicago and Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in International Relations from Stanford University, where I graduated Phi Beta Kappa with interdisciplinary honors. Before academia, I worked in the data science industry. You can find my CV here.