About Us

The Behavioral Economics and Global Health Insights (BEGIN) Lab is a joint undertaking between the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and School of Medicine and is housed at the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE). Dr. Alison Buttenheim and Dr. Harsha Thirumurthy act as Co-Directors for the BEGIN Lab and partner with researchers and organizations in countries in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. The overarching goal of the BEGIN Lab is to change behavior, impact policy, and end epidemics. Read on to learn more about our mission statement and values.

Mission statement

We seek innovative solutions to persistent challenges that limit healthy lifespans globally. In pursuit of these solutions, we design and evaluate behavioral, structural, and policy interventions with the potential to advance health for all.

Our Values

We focus on the health conditions and contexts that most burden vulnerable groups.

We include researchers and practitioners from the Global South in our work.

We prioritize translation and dissemination of our evidence to diverse audiences beyond the academy, including practitioners, policymakers, and the media.

We value curiosity, creativity, urgency, and rigor in all we do.