Esther Duflo

The Esther Duflo keynotes address the crucial need to eradicate poverty. Instead of supporting a sweeping reponse to the issue however, Duflo promotes the need to break it down into its constituent parts, addressing factors like health, education and self-realization.

The Duflo keynotes build upon her intense academic background. As a French native, Duflo studied at L'Ecole Normale Superieure in 1994 where she completed her undergraduate education. She continued her studies at Paris' DELTA school where she received a masters degree in association with L'Ecole Normale Superieure in 1995. In 1999 she completed her Ph.D. at M.I.T and later joined the school as an assistant professor.

In 2002, Duflo received a tenured position with M.I.T. As she was only 29 at the time, she has been remembered for being one of the faculty's youngest professors to receive a tenure designation. Her unwavering dedication to her field was recognized in 2011 as she made Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.